Signs of Termites

Signs of Termites

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  1. Termites can cause substantial problems and damage in a home and that is why it is important to find out if they are hiding out near or on the outside of your home.

    How to Know if Termites are Invading your Home?

    One of the fastest ways to find out if you have a termite infestation is if you see winged termites. Termites have a straight antennae, are equal in their body size proportions and their wings are equal to the size of their body. Another way to tell if you have termites is by shining a light on in a certain area, and you begin to see them flying toward the light. They are attracted to light. You may also see them around windows and doors. Still another way to know if you have termites if if you see dirt tubes. These kinds of tubes can be seen around support piers, sill plates, floor joists and slabs. They can also be spotted around woodpiles and tree stumps but even though you don’t see them near your home, it doesn’t mean you don’t have termites.

    Check the Wood Around your Home

    An interesting point to keep in mind is if you see wood near your home that looks damaged. If you see this, check out the grain of the wood. If the wood has a hallowed look, you have termites. Termites will also chew on plaster and drywall.

    What Kind of Treatments are Effective in Getting rid of Termites?

    Conventional Treatments have been used in getting rid of termites for over 50 years. This kind of treatment includes treating the soil on both sides of foundation walls, the "voids of cinder blocks in foundation walls" and  soil that is under the plumbing in bath traps and slabs. Then there is Exterior Perimeter Plus Localized Interior Treatment. With this kind of treatment, the focus is treating the soil that is next to the exterior foundation wall. Next are Non-Repellent Termiticides. Because termites cannot detect soil that is treated with a non-repellent termiticide, they don’t know when they come in contact with the treated soil and therefore are extinguished.

    So, Which Treatment Works the Best?

    Studies have been conducted to find out which methods are the most effective and the results show that non-repellent products give the most effective termite control. To find out which method would work best for your home, some suggest having a trained pest management professional come to your home and thoroughly inspect your home. One the treatment of choice has been given, it is important to have that pest control professional give inspections to see if the effectiveness of the treatment is still working and to see if the treatment zone has been changed in any way.

    To conclude, signs of termites can be detected several ways: by inspecting nearby wood, by shining a light on certain suspected areas and by checking for dirt tubes. In addition, by knowing what they look like and where they hide out, you will then be ready to hire a professional who will then apply a treatment plan to get rid of the termites.

    References

    Termites.com (2012) How to Detect Signs of Termites Retrieved January 24, 2012 from: http://www.termites.com/damage/detection-signs/

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