Fighting a termite infestation is an uphill battle. They’ll do their damage to your home without you even realizing it, and you might even think you’re doing a good job of preventing them. But what you don’t realize is that the false hope you’re getting from not noticing signs of termite damage can cost you thousands of dollars.
Noticing Signs Of Termites
The termites in Dallas are just one of the many species in the United States that feed on the wooden structures of houses. However, for such a prevalent and well-documented issue, termite infestations go unnoticed for months at a time. Typically, when termites gain a foothold in the structures of a home, it will take six months to a year for homeowners to notice. By that time, most species of termites can cause up to $3,000 worth of damage on average, eating their way through the soft or rotting wood underneath your house.
To avoid this kind of costly damage, understanding the signs is critical. If you notice any or all of the following signs, you most likely have a severe termite infestation.
- Swarmers: these are the winged termites in charge of colonization. Termites are eating your house throughout the year, but swarmers typically reproduce and colonize on warm days following lots of rain (so summertime is ideal). When you see a grey, buzzing cloud around your property, you’re likely to have a new termite colony to deal with soon.
- Frass: This is a mixture of wood pellets and termite excrement. They’ll kick this out of the tunnels they’re building, so you might see it lying around along the baseboards.
- Soft-clicking noises: within the walls, termites will make very quiet sounds as they’re chewing their way through new tunnels. Ignoring this faint sound might cost you.
- Tight-fitting windows and doors: when doors and windows won’t slide or open properly, it is a good indication of internal termite damage.
Prevention Techniques
Once you see signs of an infestation, there is not much you can do. Eradicating termites is a job for professionals, but it may not have to go that far. If you stick to the following guidelines, you may have a chance of avoiding termites on your own:
- Moisture Control: termites love moistened or rotting wood, so allowing water to sit up against the foundation of your home for long periods is putting you at high risk of infestation. You’ll want to use a gutter and downspout system to control rain runoff and expel it away from the side of the house. You’ll also want to check carefully in the basement and under sinks for leaking pipes.
- Eliminate soil-to-wood contact: if there are wooden parts of your home’s foundation that make contact with the soil, you’ll want to create a 12-18” buffer between the soil and the wood.
- Proper wood storage: if your firewood is not sealed, storing it outside the home can attract a lot of termite attention. Make sure it is stored away from the home’s foundation or any other wooden structure.
While these termite-prevention tips can give you a fighting chance at avoiding infestation, there are no guarantees. The only way to be sure you'll avoid thousands of dollars in damage is to contact All-Safe Pest & Termite at the first sign of termites. Give us a call today before it’s too late.