Termite Control at Your Home

The termite colony has three primary castes: workers, soldiers, and the reproductives (kings, queens, and secondaries). The workers are creamy white and seldom seen unless a termite tube or infested wood is broken open. Soldiers have elongated yellowish heads with large jaws and are about the same size as the adult worker, about a quarter inch. The kings and queens are dark-brown or black and about 3/8 to 1/2 inch long. They have two pairs of translucent wings of equal length, which break off shortly after swarming.

The best way to prevent termites and the damage they cause is a professional proactive baiting system that will catch them as early as possible. There are no successful DIY termite treatments and learning that can cost you.

Only a small set of termites can fly, and they only do so for a short period of time before they shed their wings. Out of the termite castes, it is only the winged alates that can fly. It’s known as a termite swarm, and it happens when there’s a colony large enough that the need arises for a new colony to be created.

Winged insects emerging from soil or wood is the easiest way to tell whether termites are active nearby. Even if residents don’t notice the pests, their cast-off wings are often left on the floor around doors or windowsills. Since they are drawn to light, these are common entry and exit points. Other signs of termite activity around your home are discolored or drooping drywall, peeling paint that resembles water damage, wood that sounds hollow when tapped, small, pinpoint holes in drywall, buckling wooden or laminate floorboards, and small tunnels that are located around termite nests – called termite mud tubes.

The cost of any pest control service depends on the location of the termites, the size of the home, as well as many other factors that are used to determine pricing. Always talk to a professional termite exterminator for the best answers to cost questions.

The best way to treat for termites and damage they cause is a professional proactive baiting system that will catch them as early as possible. There are no successful DIY termite treatments and learning that can cost you.

Termites eat cellulose materials including wood, plants, carpet, insulation, cardboard, sheetrock paper, and fabric.

Interior damage may not become apparent until infestations are full-blown. Termite damage sometimes appears similar to water damage. Outward signs of termite damage include buckling wood, swollen floors and ceilings, areas that appear to be suffering from slight water damage, and visible mazes within walls or furniture. Termite infestations also can exude a scent similar to mildew or mold.

At Western, your termite inspection is free. Some companies will say termite inspection costs vary for several reasons including size of house, and level of infestation.

Checking for termites should be done by a professional. Not only could you get a misidentification, but that can delay treatments that can cost you excess money on repairs and termite damage. You can look for the signs of damage, but if you suspect termites, definitely call in a professional termite exterminator.

The best way to prevent termites and the damage they cause is a professional proactive baiting system that will catch them as early as possible. There are no successful DIY termite treatments and learning that can cost you.

Wooden posts, steps, door frames, and trim embedded in an earth or concrete floor are especially susceptible to termite infestation. Wood siding, window frames, steps, and similar materials covered by earth or resting on the ground may also be attacked by termites. Termites especially favor areas around furnaces, chimneys, hot water heaters, and hot water pipes that provide warmth during cold months.

A regular termite inspection is when a trained professional comes out to your home to look for signs of termite damage. A Wood Destroying Insect Report is much more specific. It covers specific species such as carpenter ants, carpenter bees, termites, and wood-boring beetles. This report is different from a home inspection that covers structural elements of the building in need of repair, which usually occurs at least 30 days before closing. Home inspectors who notice signs of insect damage often request a WDIR. Certain states and counties, FHA and VA loans, realtors, and savvy home buyers may require this report, too.