Termites are the reason five billion dollars in property damage is incurred every year in the United States. The average insurance company defines these issues as preventable, so you aren’t likely to receive financial support from your homeowner's insurance. To escape such a predicament, you have to know the signs of termites inside your house or business. Learn more about these pests, signs they're in your home, and the best way to get rid of them with Big D Pest & Termite Services.
How To Identify Termite Activity
Part of the difficulty in identifying active termites is that they look like other bugs. Their colonies are made up of three castes, which are workers, soldiers, and swarmers. The first two are rarely spotted because they are usually behind foundations, inside of logs, or burrowing in soil. If you saw them though, you wouldn’t think anything of it. They both misleadingly resemble ants. Most worker termites in Texas are white and roughly ? of an inch long. As they spoil and create tunnels in wood, soldiers keep watch for predators. They are roughly the same size, but darker in color with wider heads and mandibles. The insects that will definitely capture your attention are swarmers. These brown or black bugs are ½ of an inch long and they fly. They leave the colony to mate and start new colonies of their own.
Aside from seeing swarmers, these are some signs of a termite infestation:
- Quantities of discarded swarmer wings
- Piles of fecal frass that resembles sawdust
- Seeing mud tubes, maze patterns, and holes that termites have made
- Wood that sounds hollow when you knock on it
- Hearing rustling and clicking noises from behind walls
- Paint that is beginning to peel and swell
- Drywall that is losing its color and shape
- Tiles coming off of the walls or floors
- Floorboards that feel loose when you step on them
- Window frames and doors that are tough to open or shut
It is imperative that you contact professionals as soon as you recognize signs of termites before any further damage is done.
Problems Termites Cause
In a lot of cases, property owners will be able to notice swarmers or termite damage within three or four years of these insects arriving. That is a significant amount of time. Over that period, you might observe gradual physical changes in your home or business. For instance, the walls and ceilings could have blemishes and puffiness like there’s been a flood or excess water. The flooring or borders may have cracks, lumps, or stains. Beams and posts are bound to be weaker. Trying to correct these things as they happen will take plenty of money and effort.
Three Termite Prevention Tips Worth Trying
You can lessen the chances of a termite infestation occurring by using these three tips:
- Get necessary repairs done, starting with pipes and anything related to moisture. Wood that is damp is very attractive to various termite species. Next, you’ll want to seal gaps in foundations and utility lines to eliminate ideal nesting spots. Attach screens to exterior doors too.
- Tidy up the lawn. Discard organic debris, especially wood chunks. Don’t forget to remove it from vents and gutters as well. Sit log piles, wood supply, and plants feet away from the property and don’t let the rest on soil. Last, but not least, cut the grass and trim greenery often.
- Replace or fix rotting interior wood. If there are any compromised pieces or trees outside, eradicate them.
Stay away from over-the-counter termite treatments. They can kill a small number of termites and make you think the infestation is gone when it isn’t. Most store products can’t be applied deep in walls or in soil like they need to be and fail to eliminate an entire colony.
Guide To Buying Termite Control In McKinney
Considering that the majority of retail goods for termites won’t be suitable, the wisest choice is to depend on the experts at Big D Pest & Termite Services. We have safe and comprehensive solutions such as advanced liquid barriers and bait stations. Pre-construction treatments and Wood-Destroying Insect Reports (WDIR) are also available. Call us today for a quote. We can get rid of termites!