What Termite Season Means For McKinney Properties

Although there are a number of home-invading pests that we need to worry about here in McKinney, the pests we really need to worry about are the ones that threaten to harm our health or destroy our property. One such pest, that falls into the property destruction category, is the termite. Termites are small, ant-like pests that feed on cellulose found in wood. Termites can cause costly property damage to any wooden structure, including our homes and businesses. While termites are a year-round threat, there is a certain time of year that they become more active, thus becoming more threatening. This period is called termite season, and if you’re a McKinney property owner, this is when you need to be extra proactive about termite prevention on your property.

What Is Termite Season?

In order to understand the termite season, you need to understand a bit about termite colonies. Termite colonies are comprised of three separate castes to which the various termites belong. These castes are workers, soldiers, and reproductives, the latter of which have wings. Workers are in charge of gathering food for the colony, while soldiers protect the colony from any would-be threats. The reproductives are tasked with setting out to create new colonies. This process is what’s known as a termite swarm. The season when termites are most likely to swarm is called termite season. Termite season in McKinney typically begins in early spring and lasts until mid-summer.

Where To Look For Termite Swarmers?

Finding termite swarmers in your home or business is often the first sign of a termite problem. Where you find a termite swarmer in your home helps to indicate the likelihood of a termite problem on your property. If you find the swarmers squeezing out of cracks or crevices in your walls or foundation, you most likely have a larger termite problem on your property. However, if you simply spot a single swarmer somewhere in your home, it might not be a problem yet. Essentially, finding swarmers in your home means one of two things. You either already have a termite problem that you were previously unaware of, or you could have a termite problem in the near future. Either way, if you find swarmers in your McKinney home or business, contact the trained professionals here at Big D Pest & Termite Services right away.

How To Make Your McKinney Property Less Hospitable To Termite Swarmers?

When it comes to making your McKinney property less hospitable to termites, your primary goals should be to address any moisture issues within the property and to seal off potential entry points. To accomplish these, you should:

• Remove or replace any decaying or water-damaged wood in the property.
• Use dehumidifiers to address any moisture issues inside the property, especially poorly-ventilated areas.
• Fix any leaking pipes or fixtures and keep your gutters free of debris to prevent flooding that can result in water damage.
• Fill in any cracks in your home’s foundation.
• Keep woodpiles stored away from your home’s exterior.
• Create a gravel or cement barrier between the soil and any wooden structures around your property such as deck posts and siding.

The Best Form Of Termite Protection

While you should take every preventative measure at your disposal, given how much damage termites can cause, it never hurts to be as safe as you can be about keeping them out of your property. If you want to ensure your property stays free of termites all year long, you need ongoing termite protection in McKinney from the professionals here at Big D Pest & Termite Services. If termites get into a property, there’s no shortage of damage they can cause. So, don’t risk it. Give us a call today and ask about our ongoing termite protection plans before it’s too late.