Warning Signs That Your Woodlands Home Has Termites
September 28, 2023
What early warning signs of termites do you need to know? Find out today how to identify these pests before they take over your Woodlands property.
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Houston home and business owners work hard for what they have. What’s unfortunate is that it can all be taken away easily by pests. Bugs that eat wood, like termites, are major threats.
Termites can create a disaster right under your nose. You may not see any of the damage until it’s significant. These insects are usually out of sight inside of structures or under the soil. Every year an excess of $5 billion is spent in America to combat the bugs. People sadly can’t rely on insurance companies. Learn how you can shield your assets from termites with help from All-Safe Pest & Termite.
How Do Termites Function? What Are Signs of Infestation?
In a termite colony, you have workers, soldiers, and swarmers. Camps vary in appearance per species, but the workers are often white or grayish-white. Size-wise, they are a very tiny 0.12 of an inch long. As they grind wood, soldiers protect them. Frequently, they are yellow-brown and have rectangular heads. Defending their nest is simple with their immense mandibles. The reproductive swarmers are ½ of an inch long and are black, yellow, or brown. Upon a cocoon being packed, they’ll exit to mate and establish another colony. They might stop by a lamp or window because they are fascinated with light. Swarmers are an indisputable indication of an infestation. Additional key signs are:
- Discolored drywall that is baggy or wilting
- Walls having needle-point holes, maze patterns, and mud tubes in them
- Tiles being wobbly and floorboards starting to weaken
- Paint stripping, bloating, and appearing water damaged
- Discovering stacks of fecal frass that look like salt and pepper
- Hollow sounding foundations
- Finding the scaly wings of swarmers
How Can You Prevent Termites? Are Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Termite Methods Effective?
Among the common avenues people use to eliminate termites are boric acid, vinegar, and orange oil. Exposing affected wood to sunlight is another widespread technique. In terms of commercial products, liquids, baits, and other items are deferred to. Typically, if these options work at all, it will only be brief. A few termites will be killed in the grand scheme of things. Some won’t even respond to treatment, depending on the species. Only pest experts have the knowledge base to correctly identify a class and choose an appropriate approach.
The average person also isn’t aware of how strong or diluted a particular retail product is. In a lot of cases, they’re made to extremes. You run the risk of misinterpreting directions, utilizing something improperly, or exposing yourself to harsh chemicals. Harm can be done to humans, domestic animals, and/or vegetation. Not to mention exacerbating the termite problem.
Shelf goods are exceptionally limited in their effectiveness, providing surface results. Termite populations are massive in volume and they can be far down in a structure. The best selection is professional intervention. Here are some preventative actions you can do independently:
- Restore or discard rotting or injured wood
- Fix moisture faults immediately; especially if it’s wetting wood
- Try not to let free wood, like lumber blocks, rest on the soil
- Patch up openings in utility lines and foundations
- Distance loose wood and greenery two feet from the property
- Have All-Safe Pest & Termite perform annual inspections
What Can All-Safe Pest & Termite Do About Termites?
We at All-Safe Pest & Termite specialize in termite control; that’s why we are one of the largest Sentricon® operators in the United States. Our trained technicians will use infrared technology to inspect your land and locate vulnerabilities. Our safe solutions include industrial-grade liquid spot treatments, Termidor SC and foam, Sentricon® System with Always Active™, and more. One-time, recurring, and pre-construction visits are available, as well as warranties. Call today for a free estimate!
