Termites have a pretty terrible reputation as one of the worst pests you can get in your Aiken home, and this reputation is entirely earned! These social insects are as destructive as they are sneaky and can wreak absolute havoc on your property if left to their own devices. That's why termites need to be among your Aiken pest control plan's top priorities.
Signs Of Termite Activity To Watch For Around Your Home
One of the worst things about termites is that termite infestations can be difficult to spot and may go unnoticed for a very long time. Termites don't have to forage for food to survive because they eat the cellulose found in wood. This means they never have to leave their nests, allowing them to fly under your radar for months or even years.
To detect termite activity before it is too late, you'll have to watch out for signs of termites in your home, such as:
- Windows and doors that don't fit properly
- Inexplicably damaged or rotting wood
- Bucked or loose floorboards
- Walls that sound hollow when tapped on
- Pinholes in drywall
- Mud tubes around your foundation
- Piles of termite sawdust called frass
Another telltale sign of a termite infestation is seeing swarms of termites around your home. Adult termite reproductives don't fly far from the nest before swarming, so if you see a swarm of flying termites, the chances of you having a colony on your property are relatively high.
How Termites Silently Destroy Your Home
Termites are one of the most vital elements of forest ecosystems all around the world. When living outdoors, they eat dead wood, digest it, and then enrich the soil with their waste. However, as beneficial as this is to the forest, it's equally destructive to your home.
Termites can invade structural elements of your house, such as floor joists, wall studs, and support beams, and do exactly what they do out in nature: break down and destroy dead wood. This means a termite problem can leave your home with thousands of dollars worth of damage.
Factors That Attract Termites To Your Home
One of the best methods of termite control is termite prevention. This requires knowing and eliminating the factors that attract termites.
One of the biggest termite attractants is wood making contact with the ground around your home. Wood-to-soil contact is the most common avenue for termite entry. This means you’ll need to eliminate every instance of soil or wood touching the outside of your home to deter termites, whether it's branches touching your roof or firewood leaning up against your siding. You should also ensure any wooden components of your home that touch the ground are sound, dry, and treated for termite prevention.
Another big attraction for termites is moisture. While drywood termites can live inside wood without a source of moisture, most of the other termite species in Aiken rely heavily on moisture to keep their colonies hydrated. This means eliminating moisture issues, such as condensation, drainage problems, or plumbing leakages will go a long way to making your home a more hostile environment for a wide array of termite varieties.
The Best Thing To Do If You Spot Signs Of Termite Damage
If you start seeing signs that you might have a termite problem, don't try to rely on DIY termite treatments to deal with your infestation. Termite removal is a very complicated procedure that these store-bought baits cannot handle. That's why, for your termite control needs, it's best to rely on the best in the business: Aiken Pest Control!
Our resident termite experts are up to the challenging task of eliminating termite infestations. If you want your termite problem gone for good, give us a call or visit our contact page to schedule a termite inspection today.