Having a regular termite inspection can help you save money from the problem that termites or other pests can bring into your previous home. Having a licensed termite inspector do the termite inspection will help you secure your home from annoying pests as they can quickly identify any signs of termites.
There is more than $3 billion worth of damages on every home yearly because of termite damages. Some signs of termites are crawling up in your sill plates or even the foundation posts coming from the damp soil or wood mulch. Also, more evident signs of termite are flying termites that commonly mistaken to carpenter ants, visible mud tubes or tunnels, damaged wood and crawl spaces. These annoying pests are going through the tunnels to eat damaged wood or your precious furniture. They leave no signs aside from the paper-like layers that serve as strong support for them.
However, you can prevent termite damage if you pay more attention to the signs of termites. And as long as you detect the signs of termite at the early stage, you will not suffer from the harsh effects of termites.
Being aware of the critical areas of home termite is one of the great ways to prevent pests from pestering your home. Remember, there are two reasons why termites survive. It lies within the moisture and the source of food. Luckily, all of these are available in your house. It was beautifully structured and accessible. These things are your wood piles, beds, wood fences, tree stumps, patios, and wooden decks. It all provides a food source for the termites. You have a choice; either permanently remove it or have a regular termite inspection to minimize the possibility of termite problem.
It is also important to note that there is an unlimited supply of moisture in your house. It is through your leaky pipes, air conditioning dripping lines, downpipes, any water damage, and also standing water.
Given the areas that you need to check, your property foundation and crawl spaces. Termite damage is exhausting to find and inspect. Take note of the areas that have to produce termite’s food source and moisture. It would also be great if the homeowners have enough knowledge or awareness about termite activity. In case you let professionals conduct a termite inspection, remember the important things from them as having enough understanding will lead to knowing the termite activity.
What are the Factors to Consider to Know About Termite Infestation
Preventing termites from coming to your house is not an easy task. You need to be alert and be vigilant with your surroundings, precisely the primary target location. It is important to note that termites rarely appear from a crawl space, mud tubes, soil, or food sources. You can only notice them through the tunnels that they created. Homeowners sometimes do not have any idea about termites. That is why they will only discover them once the termites start swarming or destroy the entire area of infestation. To guide you with the process, below are some of the ways that you can check if you have a termite problem.
The physical appearance of insects matters. Homeowners often interchange ants and termites. It would be best if you will pay close attention to their appearance. Please take note that ants have longer front wings than their hind wings. You will also notice that their antennae were bent at a 90-degree angle. Termites, on the other hand, have equal size of wings, and their antennae are not bent or sometimes may droop. Among the popular species of termites are drywood termites and subterranean termites.
Usually, the native subterranean termites are common kind of termites in the United States. Among other species are drywood termites which are smaller in size, winged termites, and Formosan termites that are invasive.
How to Prevent Termite Infestation
There are many ways to prevent termites from pestering your home. The following are the things that you can do to lessen the chances of termites, such as subterranean termites, drywood termites, and other home termite.
Make your home structure less attractive. If you are constructing your future home, it would be great to use a concrete foundation. It will create a barrier that will prevent the termites from entering your home. You can also leave a space for ventilation between the wood and the soil. Also, make sure that you will cover the wood surfaces with a metal barrier and sealant. Go straight to the cause of the problem to prevent any costly mistakes against the annoying termites.
Consistently Maintain Your Termite Prevention Activities
Once you finished constructing your home. Make sure that you have a proper drainage and grading system. Keeping the soil or your foundation will prevent termites from destroying your home. Make sure that you also maintain the cleanliness of your home.
Minimize the available openings in your home. It would be best to limit the point of entry in your home, especially your windows or other alternative routes. Remember, termites are pests that find ways to enter your home or structure. It would be best to fill the cracks or gaps in your cement foundation and another utility pass with a caulk wall, group, or cement.
Do not leave your property’s leaks unattended if you notice that you are experiencing a water leak. Make sure to fix it immediately and be cautious enough to avoid it from happening again.
It would be best if you will plant shrubs or trees away from your home or property. It is essential to make sure that the plants will not be vulnerable to the wood surfaces.
Store your firewood away from your home structure. It would help if you did not also pile them up because it will attract termites. The wood debris in your house can be a potential swarming place. Make sure that you clean regularly and pay close attention to your surroundings.
It is your duty as a homeowner to inspect your structure regularly. Make sure that you will examine your structure regularly. You can also hire a termite professional to conduct the inspection. Checking your structure will ensure you and give you peace of mind. You will be safe from termite damage and prevent termite new colony from settling in your property.
What are the Termite Treatments or Remedy
There are lots of termite remedies or treatments in the market. You can choose between chemical treatments and non-chemical treatments. Remember, your treatment procedures depend on your needs and the condition of your structure.
Chemical treatments
The United States conducts a risk pesticide checking in order to ensure that everyone will be safe and sound during the exterminating procedure. With this, pesticide companies need to pass the inspection before they can distribute or sell their item. The primary aim of the chemical inspection is to ensure that all people living in the area will not be harmed as well as the environment. You can also check the chemicals that passed the inspection. For homeowners, it would help you more if you will follow the instructions in the label accurately. Termiticides is the term used in treating or preventing termite problem. It possesses enough structural protection and prevents termites from ruining your property. The pest management professionals are the only authorized personnel in performing termiticide applications.
Some of the approved termite treatments include termite baits, wood treatments, and soil-liquid applied termiticides. Remember, the most common form of treatment is the termite baits and the conventional barrier treatment.
Conventional Barrier treatment
It is one of the most common ways to treat termites. It is also known as a soil-applied treatment barrier. Termiticides are the most available resource in the market but are also important for this product to have a proper label.
Termite Baits
Nowadays, bait systems are now readily available to help you reduce the possibility of termite infestation. Insecticides post hard for people; that is why the limitation of using them is crucial. Termite baits are essential because it does not harm the environment and the people. It aims to slow down the termites and definitely poison them in the long run.
Remember, if you fail to conduct it properly, you can harm people or the environment. Please seek a professional to avoid costly damage.
Non Chemical Treatment
If you want to protect the environment as well as prevent termites from ruining your home. There are nonchemical ways to treat a termite damage. It does not necessarily involve an insecticide application. Here are the examples, during the construction of your home, you will instruct the architect or engineer to create a physical barrier. Since you are doing this during the construction with proper consultation, you can minimize the possibility of termite infestation. Another way is using sang and steel mesh as a physical barrier. You can also use biological termite control agents like fungi and nematodes to prevent termites from spreading.
How to Handle the Termite Infestation
Termite infestation can exhaust your financial stability, and it can destroy your home. Do not let it happen. Remember, your home is your lifelong investment. To do this, you can do the following.
Carefully select your pest control company. The United States is checking all the pest control companies. It would be best if you can check the official list of the company included. Make sure that you get a licensed pest control company to protect your home. You can also try checking the testimonials of their clients to have an additional source to consider.
Always read the product label of the pesticides. The labels and the instructions in the product will help you to know how to use the product and the potential risks of it. Bear in mind that if it does not have any instructions, it may not have the ability to protect your structure. It would be best if you will not use it.
Be vigilant in returning to your treated structure, the ground, foundation, walls or inside. Time is essential in conducting pest control. Getting a professional for termite inspection regularly is very critical. You need to follow the instructions of the professionals or the product label. This information is necessary because if you do not follow it, it can harm your family.
