Fortunately, termites aren’t the most common type of pest you see in most homes. Ants deserve that honor. Unfortunately, termites can cause far more damage than other pests you’d typically find your home. Because they can chew through not only wood, but flooring, wallpaper, and even tunnel in concrete, termite colonies can grow quite large inside your walls or under your floors before you even spot the first one. Equally troubling, termite damage typically isn’t covered by most home owner’s policies. Knowing as soon as possible that you have termites if the key to mitigating their damage. But how do you know you have an invader that’s often not seen until they’re out of control?
Step number one: hire a pest control professional.
Fighting a termite infestation is a battle and the termite is a clever (and costly) adversary. You might think you can go it alone and treat your home yourself, but unless you know exactly what you’re looking for and have access to all the most effective treatments (usually unavailable to the public), you might end up paying a heavy price for trying to solve your termite problem on your own.
Signs that indicate you have termites.
Is it wood or water damage? Wood damage from termites look similar to the same type of stains you’d find from water damage, and like water damage, often smells of mold or mildew. The difference is that termites usually leave behind tell-tale signs, such as wings from a swarming colony, fine sawdust around their access points, or mud tunnels of the walls near the foundation of your home.
It’s important to identify what type of termite you have.
Subterranean termites are common in warm, coastal areas, and can be found both in the wood and the soil around your home. Drywood termites are common throughout the U.S. and survive solely on wood. A licensed pest control company can help you determine which type you have and recommend the best remedy.
Your pest control professional can also help you pinpoint the exact source of the infiltration. Perhaps they entered your home in a piece of furniture. If so, it’s best to remove that piece, treat it and place it in direct sunlight for a few days. The source might also be a stack of firewood near your home. Once you find the source, it’s best to remove it, destroy it if necessary, or treat it if possible and make sure all the pests are gone before putting it back into your home.
Most pest control companies offer free termite inspections.
A local pest control company like St. Petersburg, Florida-based Regional Termite & Pest Control offers free termite inspections and can offer solutions based on what they find. Serving the greater Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Ocala and their surrounding areas, Regional Termite & Pest Control even offers a $250,000 warranty against further termite damage once they’ve completed your termite treatment service.
