Termites are among the most destructive pests of wood structures. They chew away at the structural integrity of homes and businesses, causing sagging floors and cracked or bubbling paint.
Professional pest control companies use a variety of methods to treat and prevent termite infestations. Look for a company that uses EPA-registered products that are safe for your family and pets. Click here at https://pezzpestcontrol.com/ to learn how to deal with termites the right way.
Termite Inspection
A professional pest control service will perform a thorough inspection to detect termite activity. A seasoned inspector will examine both the inside and outside of your home. He will probe wooded areas with a tool that checks for hollow sounds, and he will look for soft spots in the wood. Soft spots are an indication of termite infestation. He will also check for mud tubes and note any areas of moisture. If a professional finds signs of an active termite infestation, he or she will recommend treatment.
Termites require direct contact with wood to survive. The insects use tunnels below ground and mud tubes above to travel between homes and colonies in search of cellulose, the primary food source for termites. Some species, like the Formosan termite, can swarm from the air and land directly on houses. They then establish colonies in the upper parts of homes, which are not connected to soil.
The inspector will also examine the eaves and exterior siding of your home. He or she will look for mud tubes, listen to hollow-sounding areas of the structure, and look at any wood-to-ground contact points (like a wooden fence that is touching the house). The inspection should also include checking for wood swarmers in the attic.
Inspecting the exterior of a home requires walking the perimeter of the property as close to the foundation as possible. The inspector will look for mud tubes, observe drainage patterns, and check for wood-to-ground contact points, such as the eaves and porch supports. The inspector will also make sure that any wood structures are not resting on the soil and that all trees and shrubs are trimmed away from the house.
During the inspection, the professional will make notes and pictures of any damage or suspected termite areas. He or she will then prepare a report for prospective homebuyers, outlining any existing damage or termite infestation and areas that are prone to future infestations. This report will help the homebuyer negotiate with the seller and may even influence how much the property should be valued.
Termite Treatment
Professional pest control services use a variety of methods to address termite infestations. One popular method involves soil-applied barriers, which create a toxic zone that termites cannot cross. Another method involves bait stations that are placed around the property. The stations contain cellulose baits, which the termites ingest and carry back to their colonies. This gradually eradicates the entire colony. Inspecting the stations regularly is important, as this will allow professionals to determine whether or not the treatment is working.
Other options include fumigation, liquid treatments, and drilling into infested wood. These treatments may be used alone or in combination. The type of treatment chosen depends on the severity of the infestation and the type of wood in the house. Often, professional services will recommend multiple treatments to ensure that the termites are fully eliminated.
If you notice signs of termite damage, such as hollowed wood, sagging floors, or a leaking roof, contact a pest control service immediately. They will perform a thorough inspection and recommend the appropriate course of action. If you do not feel comfortable handling the situation yourself, consider filing a claim with your homeowner’s insurance provider.
Termites can cause significant structural damage, resulting in costly repairs. In addition, they can also compromise the safety and health of your family.
While DIY treatments exist, they are not always effective. They can exacerbate the problem by masking the presence of termites or causing other problems, such as misapplication of chemicals. Moreover, over-the-counter treatments may be ineffective against the specific strain of termites present in your home.
To avoid termite infestations, schedule annual inspections with a pest control company. Make sure that plumbing and appliance leaks are repaired promptly, as this will reduce humidity in crawl spaces and prevent damp wood from becoming a magnet for termites. Avoid piling firewood or cellulose materials next to your home and keep wood scraps, mulch, and cardboard away from foundation walls and crawl spaces.
Professionally applied treatments are effective at killing termites without posing a threat to your family. Unlike some other insecticides, termite-specific pesticides are low in toxicity and are safe for children and pets to be exposed to.
Termite Prevention
Termite treatment options are varied and specialized depending on the type of termite infestation. Some of the most common ways to prevent a termite infestation include reducing wood-to-ground contact, avoiding soil contact by using concrete around systems that go into the ground, and keeping mud tubes at bay by preventing them from touching your house’s structure.
Subterranean and dry wood termites rely on tunnels below ground and mud tubes above ground to travel to and from your home in search of the cellulose they need to survive and thrive. They can enter your home through door frames, window frames, and wood sidings that make direct contact with the ground or through the soil beneath them. Termites also travel through vents and crawl spaces that lead directly into your house.
Reducing wood-to-ground contact, for example, by removing piles of firewood and lumber from near your home, can eliminate a highway into your house. Avoiding mud tubes by ensuring that soil is kept away from your foundation and using gravel instead of cellulose mulch can limit termite access. Addressing moisture issues in crawl space and basement areas by fixing plumbing or roof leaks promptly can also be helpful.
If you are considering building a new home, consider the use of a foam sealant to fill gaps in cracks and joints in the foundation walls. This is a relatively inexpensive way to prevent a termite problem during construction. For existing homes, consider replacing wooden lattices, door and window frames, and wood sidings that make direct contact with the ground with cement-based materials.
Other preventive measures include minimizing moisture, keeping wood-to-ground contact to a minimum, and maintaining good ventilation. Incorporating a moisture barrier during construction is a great preventive measure, and ensuring that crawl spaces are well-ventilated reduces the chances of termite infestation in those areas.
For a more targeted approach, monitoring stations can be set up to attract and then treat any termites that are found. This is an effective control method, as it allows termites to be treated at the source without impacting their natural foraging habits. Bait stations can be supplemented with conventional liquid termiticide treatments for more comprehensive coverage of a termite infestation.
Termite Remediation
A professional termite exterminator can handle a range of pest control issues. They can help you prevent termites from entering by fixing any leaks that lead to damp and rotting wood. They can also install physical barriers around the property. These may include soil-applied barriers or bait stations. For severe infestations, fumigation is often recommended. Unlike other pest control techniques, which target specific pests, termite treatment is designed to eliminate entire colonies.
In general, preventive measures can be as effective as treatment for termites. Homeowners should keep a close eye out for signs of a termite problem, including hollow-sounding wood when tapped, sagging or buckling floors, and cracking or bubbling paint. In addition, they should report any leaks as soon as possible so that water can be diverted away from the foundation and other vulnerable areas.
If you suspect a termite infestation, call a pest control company as soon as possible for inspection and treatment. Some over-the-counter solutions are available, but they typically only address the symptoms of an infestation and may not be as effective as professional treatments.
Prevention methods can be as simple as keeping the soil around a house’s foundation dry (through proper grading and drainage, downspouts that shuttle water away from the home, and clean gutters). It is also helpful to trim shrubs, bushes, and trees to prevent them from growing too close to your house. Finally, removing fallen tree branches and discarded firewood is beneficial as these can serve as bridges for termites to enter the home.
For a more targeted approach, pest control companies can apply bait stations around the property. These contain chemical materials that work to eliminate subterranean termite colonies by exploiting their biology and behavior. Worker termites ingest the bait and carry it back to their nests, eliminating the colony from the inside out. For severe infestations, termiticides can be applied directly to the wood in a home or building, thereby targeting the problem at its source.
The cost of a termite infestation can vary widely depending on the extent of damage and the types of preventive and remedial actions taken to control it. The most costly repair is usually to a home’s foundation. Other costs can be associated with the destruction of wood-based fixtures, such as doors and windows.