How long have you owned your home? If you have lived in your current residence for over ten years, you have a good idea of what it takes to keep things well maintained. You know how to change out filters, clean dirty drains, unclog toilets and do other things that keep your living areas in good shape. To make sure you are taking care of things properly, we are here today to remind you about termites. These invasive wood-eating pests regularly break into homes in Roseville and cause extensive damage with their destructive habits. To help you keep termites off your property, here is a complete guide to controlling these pests.
The Reason Termites Invade Properties
Termites do not randomly pick properties to invade. They are precise and calculate where they build their nests. Some things these pests look for when scouting out areas to build include sources of food, suitable places to build, and predators in the area. The most important of these three things is food. If you didn’t know, termites live off cellulose, the main component in wood and many other plants. Subterranean termites, in particular, prefer to consume wood that is water damaged, rotting, or in decay. Keeping this in mind, here are a few things that might attract termites to your property.
- Wet cardboard
- Newspapers
- Fallen trees
- Stumps
- Sticks
- Leaf piles
- Uncovered firewood
- Untreated lumber
- Water-damaged structural wood
- Decrepit outbuildings
How Destructive Are Termites?
A termite’s only job is to consume wood, and they are good at what they do. Two things that make these pests good at destroying structural wood inside homes are their ability to work 24/7 without needing sleep and how quietly they invade. Termites do not invade homes as other pests do, they tunnel up to the exterior of buildings, build mud tubes up cracks and gaps in foundational blocks, and chew directly into wood. Keeping this in mind, these pests are not invisible and they do leave some signs of their presence behind.
Seven Signs Of A Termite Infestation
- Mud tubes running up your home’s exterior foundation or mud filling in gaps and cracks that already exist in your home’s foundation
- Overly-squeaky floorboards and stairs
- Moisture spots on walls, ceilings, and floors
- Sagging and water-damaged drywall
- Swarmers (winged termites)
- Pin sized holes running in and out of structural wood
- Termite-damaged trees and stumps on your property
Prevention Tips For Termites
In order to keep termites from destroying your home, you have to limit their access to food and make it more difficult for them to find their way indoors. This is done in a few ways. Here are some great prevention tips to start with.
- Seal gaps and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation using a caulking gun.
- Make sure your home’s window/door screens, weatherstripping, and door sweeps are in good working condition.
- Remove sticks, leaf piles, wet cardboard, newspapers, dead trees, and stumps from your property.
- Store firewood and untreated lumber at least 30 feet from your home’s exterior.
- Address moisture problems in and around your home.
The Best Way To Handle Termite Problems
DIY is a great bandaid to deal with termites, but it is by no means a perfect solution. If you want to be confident these pests won’t invade your home, you need professional pest control courtesy of Neighborly Pest Management. Our team will get your property the effective treatments it needs to eliminate and prevent destructive termites and we will monitor control methods to make sure they are working year-round.
Call us today for more details and schedule your Roseville property for a termite inspection.