How Quickly Should You Address A Termite Problem?

Termites are one of the easiest pests to overlook, and this also makes them among the most dangerous. They can infest your house for months or years before you discover their presence, and when you finally do, it might just be too late to repair the damage they’ve caused. When you need termite control in Maryland or Delaware, you can always call Abracadabra Pest Solutions, the best name in pest control. Let’s take a look at the kind of termites you may have to deal with and how you can most effectively respond.

Termite Activity Can Be Hard To Identify

The most common species of termite in our area is the subterranean termite. Subterranean termites are unique among termite species in that they tend to live in colonies underground. Because these termites originate from underground and usually make their way into homes through wooden structures that are in contact with the soil, there might not be many signs of their presence. Some common signs of termites in the home include wood that has a hollow sound, bubbling paint, and long tubes of mud on exterior surfaces, which subterranean termites use to travel.

How Quickly Can Termites Destroy A House?

Termites can be devastating to a house because the house’s structural wood is not only their home but also their food source. Termite workers, who do all the actual wood eating, have jaws that are specially designed for breaking off tiny pieces of wood at a rapid pace. A small colony of subterranean termites can devour five grams of wood every day. Assuming the colony doesn’t grow during this time, this means that your home could lose several square feet of wood in a year. If the damage occurs in a structurally important area, this could make your whole house unsafe very quickly. This is why termite identification is so important. Termites of all varieties across the United States inflict more than five billion dollars of property damage every year. Perhaps the worst part of these costs is that termite damage is often not covered by insurance, leaving homeowners to pay for costly repairs out of their own pocket. 

How And Why Termites Invade Homes

So now that we know the dangers of active termites once they get inside your home, how do they get inside, and what attracts them in the first place? Subterranean termites need to be in a moist environment to survive, so they seek out warm areas with enough water to sustain them. Because they live underground, any wood that comes in contact with the soil is a potential target. They will build mud tubes from the ground to a food source they have discovered. With these facts in mind, here are some simple steps you can take to help prevent subterranean termites from accessing your home.

• Eliminate areas of moisture or standing water around the exterior of your house.

• Make sure all your gutters, downspouts, and water runoff fixtures are working properly.

• Reduce humidity in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and other similar areas as much as possible. 

• Examine the exterior of your house for any cracks or openings and cover or seal them up.

• Store firewood off the ground and away from the house.

• Keep the wood portions of your home away from the soil, and monitor the areas where this is not possible.  

These steps are not foolproof, and you may need to contact a local professional for a termite inspection or termite removal.

Professional Termite Control Made Easy For Elkton Homes

If you do discover a termite infestation, don’t panic. Now is the time to act quickly and contact Abracadabra Pest Solutions. We are a local veteran and woman-owned business, and we are dedicated to providing you with big company service with a small-company feel. Our technicians are well-trained, detail-oriented, and passionate about their work. We provide the best subterranean termite treatment in the area. Every service we perform is personalized, and every customer matters to us. Contact Abracadabra Pest Solutions today to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services