The most well-known form of pest control is termite removal. Termites have the power to seriously and permanently harm your house. You should get a termite inspection performed by a qualified pest control firm if you suspect you may have a termite infestation. A professional pest control firm should be contacted right away if you believe you have a termite problem. According to Freedom Pest Services, homeowners in the United States spend $5 billion a year on termite control and damage, which could cost you thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, your budget might not allow for that.
A termite check is the best preventative action. Fortunately, many pest treatment businesses offer free initial termite inspections unless the examination is required as part of a real estate transaction. Everything you need to know about termite inspections, from how to get ready to what inspectors check for, is provided below.
The Process of Termite Inspection
The method is not too difficult. The first step is to call or book an online termite inspection with the firm of your choice. Next, make an appointment with a qualified technician who serves your area; bear in mind that you must be present to grant entry to your home, garage, and any other structures you wish to have inspected.
Before they come to your house, some businesses don’t require any preparation from you, while others prefer that you go through a number of steps. First, ensure the specialist can access any critical locations, like your attic, sink, garage, and crawl space, if you have one. Remove everything from your attic, your garage’s expansion joints, and anything obstructing access to the entry of your crawl space or the area under your sink.
Your specialist will examine your interior and exterior to look for mud tubes, shed termite wings, indicators of termite activity, and infestations. In addition, they will look everywhere for signs of dry wood termites and subterranean termites. Depending on the size of your home and how easily accessible your woodwork is, it may take more or shorter than 45 minutes.
Following the examination, the specialist will go over what they discovered, explain how to get rid of the wood-destroying organisms, and, if necessary, provide a treatment cost estimate.
Termite Inspectors’ Criteria
When on the lookout, termite inspectors check for several crucial pieces of evidence. These are warning signs that you might be able to recognize on your own. Sadly, you won’t even know you have termites most of the time until they’ve destroyed your woodwork. Consequently, termite inspections are pretty necessary.
Mud tubes
Underground termites build mud tunnels, their superhighways connecting their nests to the wood they consume. These tiny tunnels, built of wood and earth, are approximately the width of a pencil. Termites make these mud tubes for a variety of reasons. For example, they bind the wood to the soil, protect the termites from scavengers, and prevent them from drying out.
Although the lack of mud tubes indicates that you are termite-free, mud tubes are a sure symptom of subterranean termites. Considering that dry wood termites don’t even produce mud tubes, you could still have subterranean termites.
Damage to wood
The sound of hollow wood when you knock on it is a particular indicator of termite activity. This is because the structural joints of your wood sustain considerable damage from termites, which results in a crushed or rippling appearance. With a screwdriver, you can probe the wood to reveal any tunnels. The tunnels built by subterranean termites are usually parallel to the wood’s grain, which gives them a distinctive appearance.
Proof of swarms
Subterranean termites swarm to build a new colony when the weather begins to warm up. But unfortunately, they throw away their wings when they move on to better lands, frequently leaving them in heaps.
Frass
Termite droppings are referred to as frass. Frass is made up of very tiny oval-shaped granular pellets. Frass is frequently discovered near baseboards, door frames, and windowsills if termites are present.
Live Termites
Termites at the live stage are notoriously hard to detect. Make sure you can distinguish it from an ant if you’re unfortunate enough to find one in your house. There are three subterranean termites: reproductives, soldiers, and workers. These groups are all creamy white. The reproductives have wings, which gives them a more than passing resemblance to flying ants. This is the fundamental distinction between them.
Flying ants and reproductive termites can be distinguished in a few different ways. Wings come first. Termites have two pairs of wings—one in front and one behind—just like flying ants. However, while the wings of flying ants are longer on the front than the back, those of termites are equal in length. Additionally, termites have straight antennae rather than twisted ones and are thicker in the centre than flying ants.
Important Areas to Check
When you’re playing Sherlock to defend your house, there are a few additional crucial areas to pay particular attention to in addition to your garage, attic, and crawl space.
Wooden buildings
Termites may cause damage to outside timber buildings like a deck, shed, carport, or arbour. You should exercise extra caution if termite-resistant materials aren’t used during building.
Wood fences
Termites can begin nibbling on your wooden fencing if they manage to get there and eventually follow the route to your house.
Cracks
Termites frequently enter buildings through brick masonry and cracks in expansion joints.
Deadwood
You invite termite activity if you leave tree limbs in your yard after falling. To ensure the safety of your property, remove any tree limbs.
Firewood
Depending on where you reside, you might have a nice stack of firewood ready and wait for chilly nights. But these piles are only set up for a termite feast. Yes, you can keep firewood as long as it is elevated off the ground and is kept at least 20 feet away from your home.
Hardwood Mulch
Wood can be a fantastic component of many mulches, but it can also serve as a food source or a haven for troublesome termites. Think about using a different kind of mulch if you think you could have a termite problem.
SCHEDULING A PROFESSIONAL’S ANNUAL INSPECTION
Professional termite inspectors can identify termite infestation indications that you might have overlooked and can make recommendations for treating an active infestation or preventing further termite invasions.
Call Freedom Pest Services if a termite inspection is necessary. We at Freedom Pest Services conduct termite inspections to ensure your house is clear of termites. We also put a lot of effort into helping you protect your home from termites by employing environmentally friendly, naturally produced remedies. In addition, we use the most effective techniques and unmatched warranties to assess and treat infestations, addressing your termite problems with the best “no call-back rate” in the business.