An invasion of termites, insects that can often live undetected in your home, feeding on detritus such as wood, flooring and wallpaper, can cause untold damage to the building's structure. Homes are subject to attack from subterranean termites who live underground as well as live in wood and compost piles that have been set up near the foundation of your home. Drywood termites are another variety of termites that live their whole lives in wood. Termites can remain active at any time of the year, but they are most likely to be noticed when they form new colonies in the spring. Proper termite control is essential as soon as a homeowner discovers that his house has become infested with these silent destroyers.
There are numerous ways a homeowner may discover the unpleasant fact that they need termite pest removal. If wood surfaces throughout the home sound hollow when tapped on, termites may have been feasting on the wood for months or years from the inside. Discarded wings from termite swarms are another good indication that professional termite control is necessary. Seeing tubes of mud form on exterior walls or noticing that paint on wooden surfaces has become cracked or distorted are additional signs that termites may be sharing your home. Homeowners may also detect wood-colored droppings near wood surfaces, another sure sign that termites have been eating their way through your home undetected up to this point.
One of the best ways to eliminate any termite invasion is to get professional pest removal help. A professional exterminator can identify all of the places where termites may have set up colonies on your property in addition to determining which types of termites need to be eradicated permanently. It's the job of the pest removal expert to examine all crawlspaces as well as the foundation of the house to determine all locations of the termite infestation. In addition, extermination experts know the proper ways to locate and eliminate subterranean termite nests on your property that include elaborate tunnels and mud tubes, all of which must be dealt with in order to properly and completely eradicate the termite colony.
Eliminating termite colonies takes the kind of expertise and equipment that professional exterminators have. Years of training and experience enable professional exterminators to find even colonies that may have been hidden and thriving for months or years. A termite control expert, after determining the exact locations of the infestation and the type of termites involved, can outline a customized treatment program.
Termite extermination may involve using special treatments on the affected wood, the use of baits or using liquids to repel the insects. If the infestation is severe enough, the family may have to temporarily relocate to other quarters while the entire house is fumigated using specific chemical agents.
Homeowners should act quickly if they suspect they have discovered evidence of termite infestation. The sooner a professional exterminator gets to work inspecting the property and outlining a plan of attack, the less damage is done and the sooner preventative measures can be put into place to prevent another invasion.
Contributed by Sally Smith
