# In-Wall Pest Control Tubes



## Phids (Sep 24, 2020)

When my house was built a few years ago, the builder put orange in-wall pest control tubing on the main floor (something similar to this). I thought it was a great idea until I started looking at pricing for service which was expensive, and I also read somewhere that it was kind of a gimmick, so I have never had any service visits.

My DIY pest control focuses on treating the lawn, exterior foundation, and interior spaces throughout the house. Although I have avoided infestations, each summer there is still an increase in bug activity (mostly spiders, earwigs, millipedes). I now wonder if it would be worth it to have someone come out and treat the house using the tubing system. Has anyone had any luck with this kind of service? If so, do you think it would be worth it to get something like a bi-annual treatment? Or even once a year?


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

First I've ever hear of if …

Sounds cool as all get out and I was intrigued until I read this in the link provided:

" _The Tubes In Wall System requires quarterly service visits_. "

My eyes got a wee bit narrower after ^that^ sentence but I'll readily admit there likely are some locales / regions where the idea is as beneficial as it is ingenious!


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## Burnie (Jun 13, 2020)

Years ago I worked for a company that installed and treated them (I actually was on of the installers). The Idea is sound, but we found out the tubes didn't last in the Florida heat, they cracked and broke down. Also, treating them every 3 to 6 months is not necessary as the chemical injected in the wall is not broken down fast like if it was exposed to the weather or the sun (they just want to treat them more often for more money). If you have them already installed, it would not hurt to have them treated every couple of years, but I don't think I would do it after they are 5 or 6 years old as the tubes will probably be trash by then from the heat. JMHO


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## Phids (Sep 24, 2020)

440mag said:


> My eyes got a wee bit narrower after ^that^ sentence but I'll readily admit there likely are some locales / regions where the idea is as beneficial as it is ingenious!





Burnie said:


> Years ago I worked for a company that installed and treated them (I actually was on of the installers). The Idea is sound, but we found out the tubes didn't last in the Florida heat, they cracked and broke down. Also, treating them every 3 to 6 months is not necessary as the chemical injected in the wall is not broken down fast like if it was exposed to the weather or the sun (they just want to treat them more often for more money). If you have them already installed, it would not hurt to have them treated every couple of years, but I don't think I would do it after they are 5 or 6 years old as the tubes will probably be trash by then from the heat. JMHO


That's interesting. My house is less than three years old, so hopefully the tubes still work. There are some DIY Youtube videos which show how it can be done with some standard residential bug killer, syringe, and an air compressor. I don't have an air compressor at the moment, but it would pay for itself easily compared to the cost of hiring a company to do it.

One issue some people did mention was that the tubes can get clogged over time. I'm not sure if this was just an internet urban legend or if this was based on actual data.


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## Burnie (Jun 13, 2020)

Phids said:


> 440mag said:
> 
> 
> > My eyes got a wee bit narrower after ^that^ sentence but I'll readily admit there likely are some locales / regions where the idea is as beneficial as it is ingenious!
> ...


The holes are pinholes, so yes they can get clogged, real easily. Good idea in the start, but not a long term solution. Treat them if you can, for as long as you can. Have some one inside to listen, you can hear the treatment in the walls, when you stop hearing it happen, stop treating. JMHO


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## Phids (Sep 24, 2020)

Burnie said:


> The holes are pinholes, so yes they can get clogged, real easily. Good idea in the start, but not a long term solution. Treat them if you can, for as long as you can. Have some one inside to listen, you can hear the treatment in the walls, when you stop hearing it happen, stop treating. JMHO


Is there some type of insecticide you would recommend that doesn't clog? On the Youtube videos, they used off-the-shelf indoor bug killer. I also have some Suspend SC on hand that I could use.


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## Burnie (Jun 13, 2020)

Phids said:


> Burnie said:
> 
> 
> > The holes are pinholes, so yes they can get clogged, real easily. Good idea in the start, but not a long term solution. Treat them if you can, for as long as you can. Have some one inside to listen, you can hear the treatment in the walls, when you stop hearing it happen, stop treating. JMHO
> ...


No idea, haven't dealt with tubes-in-wall in over 20 years. If I was going to do it, I guess I would use some type of EC (Emulsifiable Concentrate) Insecticide, but as I said, it has been a long time.


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

Phids said:


> … some DIY Youtube videos which show how it can be done with some standard residential bug killer, syringe, and an air compressor. I don't have an air compressor at the moment, but it would pay for itself easily compared to the cost of hiring a company to do it.
> 
> One issue some people did mention was that the tubes can get clogged over time. I'm not sure if this was just an internet urban legend or if this was based on actual data.


Indeed, if we had them in our home I would either insist any applicators blow air through to clear those tiny terminal port openings of any remaining product residue (which when it dries only makes sense it will create clogs) or, use an air compressor and several short blasts of air to clear those tiny holes myself.


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## Phids (Sep 24, 2020)

I am still researching this issue and have read some comments from randos that doing DIY pest control treatments by injecting with bug killer and blowing it through with an air compressor can lead to mold growth inside the walls. Anyone with more knowledge have any idea whether mold might grow as a result? It's so confusing when learning about a topic through bro-knowledge you find online.

For example, one person commented after a Youtube video that using compressed air would pump moisture into the walls, but someone else responded that that is immaterial because there's already moisture/humidity in walls (unless they're vacuum sealed).


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