How to Protect your Property from Termites Terminix Expert Offers Tips on Protecting
Against Termite Damage
Termites are serious business for property owners, causing an estimated $2.5 billion
in property damages and repair costs annually – that’s more than the
cost incurred from fires or windstorms combined. Unusually wet weather conditions
over the past year have experts predicting a particularly powerful swarm of termites
this spring, meaning your building might be one of more than 2 million at risk of
infestation this year.
Termites are extremely well-organized and persistent in their search for new food
sources. Contrary to what you may think, they will eat anything containing cellulose,
wallpaper, books, boxes, carpet backing, drywall and furniture – not just
wood. In California and most of the United States, subterranean termites are the
most destructive insect pests of wood. When land is cleared of dead trees and bushes
on which subterranean termites like to feed and structures are built on these sites,
termites attack the structures.
These insects play a useful role in nature, to help wood be recycled to the soil
as humus. But when these wood-eating creatures attack wood elements in human structures
– like your property – big problems are sure to follow. And they can’t
be treated with a can of bug spray.
Termites swarm at various times throughout the year depending on geographical and
weather conditions. Subterranean termites are often detected during spring swarm
season when billions of winged termites fly from their nests to start new colonies.
They usually swarm mid-day, most often when it is sunny and right after a rain shower.
But, just because you don’t see termites, does not mean your property is safe
from infestation. Subterranean termites work 24 hours a day from the inside out
and are often difficult to detect since 80 percent of the wood they eat is hidden
within the walls. A colony can house millions of termites, depending on its age
and health.
Colonies can be active for more than five years before the damage is visible. With
the capability of a large colony to consume more than two pounds of food a day,
having an active colony on your property could equal thousands of dollars in damages.
The only way to insure your property is not inviting termites to habitat within
is to have it examined by a professional pest control operator.
How Do Termites Get In?
Termites don’t need much room to migrate. In fact, they can enter a structure
through a space as small as 1/32 of an inch. Subterranean termites usually enter
a building from the soil along its foundation or through cracks in the slab, expansion
joints or hollow bricks around plumbing. Decks, porches and other wood structures
in direct contact with the ground are also easy access ramps for termites.
While most subterranean termite infestations can be traced to a colony living in
soil outside the structure, some infestations actually begin above the ground. This
occurs when a termite king and queen begin a new nest within a structure or when
foraging termite workers become isolated and cannot return to the parent colony.
Such conditions are most common in high-moisture areas. Structures with flat roofs
or chronic leaks can also be at risk because the structure can retain enough moisture
for a termite colony to establish itself. Constant moisture allows a termite colony
to survive even without a connection to the soil. In such cases the structural moisture
problems may be as damaging to the home as the termite activity.
Common construction practices can also contribute to termite problems by providing
termites admittance into a structure or creating ideal damp conditions for colonization.
Some examples of these practices include wood to soil contact, form boards not being
removed after construction is completed, wood refuse buried under the slab, improper
drainage and stucco below grade.
Spreading mulch soil to the area adjacent to a structure’s foundation can
also provide an inroad for termites to creep into a building.
Signs of Termites
Because so much of the damage caused by termites is within the inner walls of a
structure, it can be difficult to know if you have a termite problem until it is
too late. However, there are three warning signs to help you determine if you have
a termite problem.
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Termites, Dead or Alive
Winged termites are often the first sign of subterranean termite infestation. Swarming
termites are attracted to light and are often found near windows, doors, vents and
lighting fixtures.
Experiencing a termite swarm is the most obvious indicator that your property has
a termite problem. Worker termites are small, light-colored insects that move quickly
when exposed to light and are the type involved in spring swarms. Even if you haven’t
seen any signs of termites, check windows, heating vents, doors, in sink and bathtubs
for dead termites or termite wings.
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Mud Tubes
These termite-made tubes provide shelter for pesky termites and have a muddy, flattened
appearance approximately the width of a drinking straw. Look for mud tubes along
cracks, beneath flooring, around baseboards, on pipes, piers, chimneys, behind siding,
plumbing and other fixtures. Mud tubes may also extend over concrete foundations
and other exposed surfaces.
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"Hollow" Wood
An easy way to check for termites is to tap wood along the wall every few inches
with a screwdriver handle. Damaged wood will sound hollow and, if the area is extremely
damaged, the handle may break the wood’s surface. If the area is still active,
you may see worker termites inside. Dark areas or blisters in wood flooring are
an indicator of subterranean termite infestation.
Because subterranean termites are preventable, it is a good idea to have your property
regularly inspected by a trained, professional pest service.
Professional pest control companies use two types of treatments to deal with termites:
liquid barrier treatments and a tactic called baiting. A liquid barrier treatment
serves as a termite barricade around a property, preventing termites from entering.
Having a liquid barrier treatment on your property, even before you see signs of
termites, can help you keep your property termite-free.
Baiting is a preventative and curative tactic when a termite problem is already
prevalent. Baiting involves giving termites a substance with which they take back
to their nest and spread to other termites. Eventually the bait eliminates the entire
colony.
Termites are organized, determined, non-discriminating creatures. They will eat
wood from any property regardless of size, age or upkeep. In the pest business,
it is often said that there are only two kinds of properties: those that have termites
now and those that will. Remember, the best way to protect against termites is to
have your property inspected on a regular basis by a reputable, professional pest
control service.