Termites can pose a silent but serious threat to your home. These tiny bugs can infest your home while staying completely undetected. Homeowners often don’t even realize that termites have infested their homes until they start to notice damage.
At Pied Piper Pest Control, we have a team of experienced Garden City termite exterminatorswho have been dealing with these destructive pests for over a decade. Don’t let termites take over and destroy your home. Learn the basic steps that you should take if you want to protect your home from termites.
You’re Not Likely To See A Termite: How To Identify Signs Of Activity
Termites are sneaky pests known to go unnoticed for a long time after invading a home. Subterranean termites are the most common type of termite found in this area. These termites are not able to stay in direct sunlight for too long. They require a lot of moisture in order to thrive and survive. They primarily live underground, and to avoid being exposed to sunlight, they will build mud tubes that stretch from their nests to the food source. Once they have found a wooden surface to consume, they will burrow down into the wood so they can eat without being out in the open.
If you have these termites on your property, you will likely never see the actual termite with your own eyes. Instead, ourtermite exterminatorsusually look for these signs:
Windows and doors that get stuck easily and are difficult to open.
Finding tiny holes in sheetrock.
Seeing holes and jagged edges on wooden surfaces.
Noticing small piles of termite droppings, called frass, that look like sawdust.
Finding hollow or brittle wood.
Noticing paint peeling
Some types of subterranean termites are also known to have wings. These are reproductive termites, and they will leave their nest to go and find a mate. If you have a termite colony nearby, you will likely see these flying termites swarming around your home. Once they have found a mate, they will lose their wings and start their new colony.
If you see discarded wings on your property, you should call a termite extermination company as soon as possible to ensure that the termite swarmers are not building their new nest near your home.
Understanding The Termite Threat: Why Termites Infest Homes
Termite damage might seem mild on the surface. But once a termite inspectortakes a closer look, they could uncover significant damage that could be expensive to repair. It is estimated the average homeowner will pay around $3,000 to repair the damage caused by a medium-sized termite infestation.
Termite damage can also be dangerous. If you don’t address a termite infestation in a timely manner, it can lead to sagging ceilings, holes in the floorboards, and even structural damage. It’s rare for a termite infestation to cause so much damage that the house becomes irreparable, but it is possible if you ignore the problem.
Proactive Measures: Preventing Termite Invasions
Places with a lot of moisture draw subterranean termites. One thing you can do to keep termites away is to ensure that you have no standing water around your home. Fix any water leaks immediately, make sure that your gutter system is working properly and able to drain water away from your home, and be sure to keep crawl spaces well-ventilated.
Because subterranean termites live in the ground, they are most likely to choose to invade a wooden surface that makes direct contact with the ground. Place a concrete or other type of foundation under your storage sheds, wooden fence posts, and other wooden structures.
Another way to keep your home safe from termites is to team up with a professional pest control company that can perform regulartermite inspectionson your home. An experienced professional will be able to identify termite damage much easier and faster than most homeowners.
Professional Termite Extermination: Know When To Call In The Expert
It’s best to leave termite infestations to the professionals. If you try to eliminate the termites by yourself, you could end up making the problem worse. At Pied Piper Pest Control, our technicians can detect a termite infestation early to help minimize the damage to your home. Give us a call to schedule your termite inspection in Garden City today.