Discovering a pest problem can be extremely frustrating for homeowners. But what may be worse is having an infestation you’re unaware of. You can never be too careful when protecting your home and family, especially regarding a termite infestation.
Termites are among the most feared household pests because of how quickly they can demolish the structural integrity of your home and create a costly repair situation. Left unchecked, termites can make a home unlivable and extremely dangerous.
If you’ve found signs of termites in or around your home, don’t panic. Discover how you can identify termite infestations, how to prevent them from occurring, and how we can help!
How Do I Know If I Have a Termite Infestation?
Termites tend to hide in mud tubes and within the wood they love to munch on, making them very difficult to spot in the open. Sometimes they go unnoticed until you break open the walls for a remodel. Here are a few signs that you may have a termite infestation:
- Mud tubes around the exterior of your home
- Piles of shed termite wings
- Damaged paint or wallpaper (bubbling, peeling, etc.)
- Stuck windows or doors
- Buckling wood
- Termite droppings
- Actual live termites
Termites are most common in spring, when swarmers reproduce and start new colonies, but termites can appear anytime. This is why year-round pest control is so important for avoiding infestations before they can ever start.
How Can I Prevent a Termite Infestation?
Termite infestations are difficult to deal with and dangerous to the structural integrity of your home, so the best offense is a good defense. Along with annual inspections from Advantage Pest Control, you should make sure your home is not a hospitable environment for termites to settle into, preventing termite damage from ever occurring.
Termites prefer a moist environment. This is especially true for subterranean termites, the most common species you’ll find here in Kansas City. It’s crucial to have a good drainage system that works to direct water away from your home. Make sure your gutters are clear and functioning properly to keep water from collecting and creating an ideal environment for mud tubing right around the base of your home.
The other thing termites love, of course, is wood. Avoid storing wood piles and debris near your house. This includes firewood, mulch, stumps, and any moist wood or cellulose. Because termites prefer to stay underground as much as possible, wood on or near moist soil is a perfect breeding ground for termite colonies, as it gives them a food source they can easily access through their mud tubes.
Okay, So I Have a Termite Infestation. What Do I Do Now?
Even if you do everything right to prevent a termite infestation, that’s no guarantee termites won’t decide to make a move against your home anyway. If you suspect you may be dealing with a termite infestation, here are the basic do’s and don’ts:
DO: Seek professional help as soon as possible. Our highly effective treatments will get rid of your termites, and prevent them from coming back in the future.
DON’T: Assume they’ll go away on their own. Never leave termites unchecked! They will not go away so long as there is wood or cellulose to munch on, and it’s important not to let the damage get out of control once you know it’s occurring.
DO: Your homework. You want to make sure the company you choose is doing a complete termite treatment. Also, make sure they are licensed, insured, and certified.
DON’T: Try home remedies or DIY solutions. Despite what over-the-counter pest control products may claim, do-it-yourself methods are only “band-aid” solutions. You may temporarily kill a few termites, but you won’t eradicate the colony completely. You need a professionally trained eye to assess the extent of the termite infestation and the damage it has caused.
DO: Take steps to prevent future termite infestations once the current issue is resolved. Advantage uses Sentricon Always Active Bait Stations to protect your home 24/7, 365 days a year.
DON’T: Feel guilty! We’re here to help. Termites can be tough to detect, so don’t feel frustrated with yourself or like you did something wrong as a homeowner. Even the West Wing — that’s right, at the White House! — had a termite infestation in 1998.
The most important thing you can do is call in professional pest control the moment you suspect a termite infestation. If you’re in one of our service areas in Kansas or Missouri, Advantage Termite and Pest Control can effectively eliminate any termite infestation without structural drilling! Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
