Summer is finally here! Time to go outside, relax at a pool or beach, and spend some time with family and friends. But a terror lurks in the foundations of homes that people must be aware of. These tiny terrors have caused major and expensive problems to homeowners all throughout time. Do you know what they are? Yes, I am referring to termites.
Though termites are active year-round, they tend to be the most active in the summer as the hot and warm temperatures suit them best. This is when you should pay careful attention to any signs of termites in and around your property. If you ignore those warning signs, then you might end up with an expensive infestation.
Termite Background
Termites are a type of pest that primarily live in colonies, just like ants in a sense. They have their workers, fighters, and a queen that all work together like a well-oiled machine. The most common types of termites that are found in homes are subterranean and dry wood termites.
Subterranean termites live in large colonies underground, which is how they begin causing havoc to the foundation of your home. Drywood termites are another type of termite that tends to live in wooded areas. Both of them share one destructive tendency though and that is that they can chew through wood while remaining undetected.
One startling fact is that termites cause up to $5 billion in damages to homes annually. Your home might become another expensive statistic if termites are infesting it. So how can you prevent termite problems from surfacing in the first place? It all starts with some helpful preventative measures.
Termite Identification Tips And Prevention
When dealing with termites successfully, the key is to prevent them from infesting your home or property. With these tips, you can hopefully prevent termites from turning into a major problem.
- Reduce Moisture In Your Home: Eliminating moisture in your home would be ideal, but sometimes that isn’t possible. This is when you should look into reducing the amount of moisture in your home instead. Termites need moisture to successfully thrive in an environment. If you reduce or eliminate that moisture, you can reduce the chances of an infestation.
- Be On The Lookout For Mud Tubes: If you see mud tubes around your property, then that can be a potentially troubling sign of a big problem. Termites used mud tubes as a way to help them reach a food source, which can be the foundation of your home worst-case scenario.
- Knock On Walls: Knocking on walls sounds a bit ridiculous at first, but it serves an important purpose. If your walls aren’t hollow, and one day you decide to knock on them and they sound hollow, then you might have a potential termite problem. Be thorough with your walls so you don’t miss out on any of them.
- Keep Tabs On Wooden Areas Around Home: One thing to always check up on are any wooded areas around your home such as your door and windows. Take note of any changes that weren’t there since the last time you saw them and see if they resemble bite marks that termites might make.
- Store Any Loose Wood (Firewood) 20 Feet Away: Termites, as you have read so far, really love wood. That is where they tend to start their infestations. So if you have any firewood or any wood for that matter stored near your house, then you might want to reconsider moving them outwards.
Meers Termite Pest Prevention
Here at Meers Pest Solutions, we understand termites are potentially expensive problems that can cause massive financial headaches. To ensure that we take care of any of those potential problems, we provide a comprehensive termite protection program.
If you suspect that you have a potential termite problem on your property, then you should give us a call. Once you have talked with us about any potential concerns and questions you have, we can begin to schedule a first termite inspection. A termite inspection will be conducted to one, determine if there is a termite problem, and two to determine what type of treatment you may need if you do have an infestation.
To make sure the inspection is as thorough as it can be, we will first have a technician inspect both the interior and exterior of your home for any termite activity. Some potential clues that point to termites are termites themselves, mud tubes, and chewed wood. The places they will inspect include the general home area, bathrooms, garage, and places where plumbing is present. The reason for this is because termites sometimes use plumbing as an access point to get inside of your home.
Outside your home, the inspector will be looking at the exterior walls and gaps to see for any potential signs of termite activity. From there, they will investigate the rest of the property to ensure there are no termites present.
Here are Meers Pest Solutions, we are able to get rid of a current termite infestation and detect and prevent new ones as well. The way our termite pest management treatment works are by the usage of the Sentricon System. The termite Sentricon system gives the added benefit of not being very intrusive in controlling termites. The Sentricon system doesn’t involve digging, drilling, and injecting chemicals into the ground. This makes it a very sustainable form of pest management.
The way our Sentricon Termite System works is by using a few grams of an active ingredient that will detect and treat a current colony, and detect and prevent new ones from developing. It is essentially like your own personal termite security guard. You can rest easy knowing that a termite colony will likely not inhabit the area under and around your home.
Another beneficial product for homeowners who are getting a home built is the usage of termite pre-treatment. With our pre-treatment service, your new home will be pre-treated with a defensive termite formula so it can be protected from termites before they even have a chance to infest! It is a good investment since most if not all home insurances don’t cover termite damage costs.
Termites Can Be Prevented
Termites, like other pests, can be controlled and prevented with the right treatment system in place. To better serve our clients, we have our Safeguard Guarantee which states that if pests return between our scheduled visits, then so will we! Rest assured in knowing that we will do everything that needs to be done to ensure that pests like termites won’t wreck havoc on your home.
If you are needing help identifying a pest and determining the best treatment for it, then contact us here. Here at Meers Pest Solutions, we strive to provide sustainable pest control services to anyone who needs them.
