5 Ways to Protect Your Home from Termite Infestations

When it comes to creating structural damage, termites have earned the title of most notorious. Americans shell out over $5 billion annually to repair damage brought on by termite infestations. If there’s one exciting thing about termites, it’s the fact that they don’t sleep, literally, for the whole 24 hours. The termite colony’s workers ingest cellulose found on wood and in plant cell walls without stopping. They usually feed on wooden furniture, floors, and walls.

Detecting termites is quite challenging and frustrating. Typically, you only learn you have a termite infestation when it’s too late. People realize the presence of termites when the structural damage to the property has already gone evident and severe. This Old House (2022) asserts that when faced with a termite infestation, it pays to be cautious and act immediately. Termites can  effortlessly increase their numbers to millions before you even know it. They reproduce incredibly fast and, if taken for granted, can cause a building to collapse quickly.

Signs of Termites

Homeowners need to be vigilant when it comes to termites. But how can we tell if we have termites at home? Here are the obvious indicators of a termite infestation. Once you spot these signs, act immediately and find an expert to help you with termite control.

• Mud tubes – Termites frequently burrow into wooden structures. As a result, clear, tube-like tunnels, called mud tubes, develop. Usually, these mud tubes protrude from the home’s exterior walls and extend toward the termites’ food source.
• Strange tapping sounds – Termites produce tapping sounds, which you can hear from the basement, ceilings, lofts, walls, and under floorboards. They make these weird tapping noises to alert the other termites to prospective threats.
• Bubbling paint – Water damage and termite damage have similar appearances. If you notice your paint being bumpy or bubbling, it’s more likely due to moisture buildup caused by water..or termites.
• Wood damage – Termites are after cellulose, so they get drawn to wood and decaying trees. They may warp or disfigure the wooden components of your home. If you see swelling or bowing in your floors or ceilings, termites may be the cause. To check, tap on a wooden structure and listen for hollowness.
• Swarmers – Thanks to swarmers, or reproductives, termite populations increase or multiply fast. These young-winged termites would discard their wings and dead bodies following the mating season. Check your window sills and doors. You will usually find abandoned corpses and wings there.
• Droppings – Watch out for dry wood termite droppings. These droppings resemble piles of wood-colored pellets.

Say Goodbye to Termites in 5 Ways

Termite reproducers or swarmers can survive up to 25 years, according to termite control in Loganville, PA. Also, it said it’s best to call a termite removal specialist to deal with a termite infestation. However, you can take advantage of some DIY techniques and preventive measures to protect your home from termites. Here are ways to make your home less appealing to these destructive pests and decrease structural damage.

1.      Use termite baits.

Inserting baits around the ground of your home’s foundation is an efficient termite control method. Termite baits contain toxins that limit termite growth. Also, they slowly kill termites. After the termites have the poisons on them, they unknowingly distribute the poison to the other termites. It may take several days to two weeks to entirely eradicate the termite colony, depending on the severity of the infestation.

2.      Use termiticides.

Termiticides are termite-killing products that are highly effective. However, the United States Environmental Protection Agency strongly advises that pest control specialists only employ chemical treatments like termiticides. The intriguing aspect is that termites cannot detect termiticides. After unwittingly distributing the pesticide’s contents and infecting other termites in the colony, termites who have taken this product eventually perish. To eliminate subterranean termites, you can spray insecticides on your home’s woodwork. To kill dry wood termites, you can drill holes in the termite-infested wood and then fill them with termiticides.

3.      Install a cardboard trap in place.

You can use a homemade trap to catch and get rid of dry wood and subterranean termites. The procedure involves wetting two cardboard pieces and assembling them. Due to their attraction to cellulose, termites will crawl between the two cardboard pieces, where they will become trapped. After collecting the termites, you can burn the cardboard. However, this procedure is not always successful because not every termite gets trapped at once.

4.      Apply diatomaceous earth.

Diatomaceous earth (DE) contains tiny shards that can pierce and dry the exoskeletons of termites. You can spray or sprinkle this powdery substance on termite-infested areas.

5.      Utilize beneficial nematodes.

Beneficial nematodes are tiny worms that naturally parasitize pests like termites. These organisms can kill their host by piercing the host’s body and simultaneously releasing lethal pathogens.

Seek professional help!

Termite infestations jeopardize the structural integrity of a home. Therefore, you must employ termite treatment strategies as soon as you become aware of an infestation. To solve the termite problem and prevent other catastrophic disasters, we must never forget to call a pest control expert. Call a reputable termite pest control as soon as you discover any subtle indicators of a termite infestation. Make sure to protect your house from suffering irreparable termite damage.