Termites cause property damage that’s worth around $5 billion every year. Protecting your home before you have a Termites infestation surface is the best way to save money and keep your family safe from these destructive creatures.
Factors such as high temperatures, humidity levels, and moisture levels contribute to termite infestation. Although many regions will see termite swarms in the spring, termites also swarm during autumn. Regardless of your region, termites can avoid detection for a long time. You may not notice the infestation until it’s too late. Here are some telltale signs you might have a termites problem.
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Types of termites
Drywood termites are mostly found in dry wood. They’re the most common termites in your home, as they live and consume wood within your house.
Subterranean termites are mostly hidden from view as they live beneath the soil. They access your home through an extensive system of mud tunnels that they build using their saliva.
Signs of termite infestation
Your homeowners’ insurance plan does not cover termites damage to your home. That’s why it’s important to be proactive in preventing termites damage by periodically looking for signs of termite activity inside your home. Here are seven signs you may have a termite in your home.
Headbanging
When you notice quiet clicking sounds coming from your walls, that’s a clue you might have termites. Soldier termites will often shake their bodies or bang their head against the wood to signal danger to the colony.
Meanwhile, the worker termites who feed your wood are noisy eaters. When you put your ear close to the wood, you might hear them chewing away.
Flying termites
The presence of flying termites in your home is a major sign of termite infestation. Flying termites, also called swarms, are reproductive termites that leave a nest to establish a new colony.
Discarded wings
This is another common sign of termite infestation in your home. Flying termites or swarmers shed off their wings immediately when they find a mate. Usually, you will spot the piles of wings around doors since termites are attracted to light sources.
Hollow-sounding wood
Termites tend to eat your timber from the inside out, leaving just a thin layer of wood or paint. When you tap the wood with termite activity, it will sound hollow.
Termite droppings
Termite droppings, also known as frass, are termites’ fecal. Frass is dark brown and looks like colored wood shavings. Termite droppings are located where the termites have nested or eaten.
Mud tubes
Subterranean termites create mud tubes that they use to travel from the soil into your home.
These mud shelters are thin. They maintain moisture and temperature to keep the termites from drying out. These mud tubes are made using the termites’ saliva, dirt and other fluids.
Wood damage
Timber that’s damaged on the surface indicates termite infestation in your home. Drywood termites leave wood dust as they eat through the wood. Timber eaten by drywood termites may also appear blistered if they burrow near the surface. Meanwhile, subterranean termites love eating moisture-damaged wood.
How to get rid of termites
A termite infestation is a nightmare for homeowners. Are you worried your house is infested? The best way to treat termites in your home is by contacting a reputable pest control company like Moxie Pest Control.
Here are some reasons why you should hire a termite control company:
- A termite control company saves you energy and time, as they do everything for you.
- Termite control professionals are trained to safely handle chemicals around your home.
- Termite control professionals have the knowledge and equipment to terminate termites from your home without harming you or your home.
- Termites are highly secretive creatures that require trained eyes to identify.
DIY termite control
There are two main methods you can use to control termite infestation on your own. They include liquid termiticides and termite baits.
Liquid termiticides
Liquid termiticides are insecticides designed to prevent termites from entering the foundation of your house. These chemicals prevent the termites that are already in the foundation from getting to the moisture underneath the surface for survival.
Termite baits
Instead of injecting the termiticides inside the soil, place termite baits around the area where you notice signs of termites activity. When termites find the bait, they’ll eat it and die.
Tips on how to prevent termites infestation
Termites control experts recommend the following tips:
- Repair your roof if it’s broken. A broken roof lets in moisture, which creates the perfect environment for termites to form a colony.
- Avoid stacking wood against the exterior of your house, as this may attract termites.
- Make sure you fix leaking pipes as damp places are a breeding ground for termites.
- Use termite-treated wood for your fences and garden beds.
- Get rid of cardboard boxes around your home, as termites love munching on them.
Use these tips to stop a termites infestation before it happens.
