The Most Effective Termite Control For Your Lawrenceville Home

Termites are destructive insects. They cost U.S. property owners over $5 billion annually. How much of that amount are you going to pay? It's up to you. There are ways to prevent termite damage. You can begin by learning how to detect a termite problem. Termites aren't going to total your home in one night. It takes several years. If you catch them early, you can arrest termite activity and prevent serious damage from occurring. You can also prevent damage by learning what attracts termites to your yard. Join us as we look at tips that will help you detect these sneaky insects and remove attractants that can increase your chances of termites damaging your Lawrenceville home.

Signs Of Termite Activity To Watch For Around Your Home

Many Lawrenceville homeowners have a termite bond with routine inspections from a licensed technician; if you have one, great! If you have an out-of-date bond or one that came with your home, we can help you transfer that bond to ProCare Pest Services to continue having professional termite inspections. If you're not ready to take this step, we don't want you to be unprotected. Let's look at ways to detect active termites on your property and in your home.   

Swarms: When you see a termite swarm in your house, you know you're in trouble. But, long before you see an indoor swarm, you may see swarmers on the exterior of your home or an individual swarmer in your yard. It is best to find only one. A swarm of termites is a warning sign of a current infestation on your property. Winged termites stay together near the nest during the mating process. When they separate, they may spread out a little. One little swarmer could be a warning sign that a nest is about to be created in your yard. A termite swarmer is a black insect with white wings. It is only about 3/8 of an inch long so it is easy to miss. Look for the distinctively rounded tips of the wings. You'll also notice that the wings hang past the tip of the abdomen. Keep watch for this warning sign.

Workers: Another warning sign to keep a constant watch for is worker termites in your yard. When you pick up dead branches, you may glimpse worker termites. A worker termite is pale and looks like a fat ant. At 1/8 of an inch in length, it also is easy to miss. You won't have much time to look at it either. Worker termites hide in wood or soil quickly.

Clicking Noises: While rare, termites can alert you to their presence by making clicking noises. Some refer to this as a rustling noise. When a threat enters their tunnels, such as an ant invasion, the termite soldiers bang their heads on tunnel walls to warn the workers. The noise is usually faint, but you might notice it if you have a large termite infestation. 

Termite Damage: Termites create extensive tunnels in wood. You're not going to see these tunnels unless you're remodeling your home. You need to look for surface changes to wood, such as honeycomb dents or paint bulging. If you look for damage, you may find trenches in wood that touch the soil outside. These are exposed tunnels, and this exposure only happens in dark, damp locations.

Shelter Tubes: As you look for signs of termites in your yard, you should place this one on the top of your list. Subterranean termites are the sneakiest and most destructive of all termites, but they can create this obvious warning sign for you to find. Look for shelter tubes on hard surfaces above the soil and in humid spaces within your home. Shelter tubes look like wiggly mud lines. When several tubes are in one place, they can begin to look like a column.

We can't emphasize enough how important it is to perform inspections and stay vigilant to detect termite swarmers and workers on your property. Let's take a look at why this is the case.

The Extent Of Damage Termites Can Cause To Your Home