Termite Infestation: Exterminate Termites
Just hearing the word termites can cause a cold shiver to run down any homeowners neck. Termites are notoriously one of the worse house pests you can come across because of the sheer amount of damage they can cause and that an infestation can often go undetected for years. If a termite infestation is not caught quickly it can cause major headaches and financial problems for the homeowner inflicted. The key is to catch a termite infestation early and exterminate them as quickly as possible before they are able to grow their colony. Therefore, it is key to know how to identify a termite infestation.
How to Identify a Termite Infestation
1. The easiest way to identify a termite infestation is to actually spot termites. Termites are quite small and generally hang out behind drywall so therefore spotting them can be difficult. However if you see very small white or translucent bugs you are probably dealing with termites and should take appropriate steps to exterminate them from you house.
2. Mature termites grow wings, which allows them to cover a much further distance than if they didn't. This is key to their survival as they move along from one food source to the next. If you see a swarm of winged animals in or around your home it's possible you may have a termite infestation. Once you see these winged insects you may want to attempt to
identify them as termites before moving onto any next steps.
3. Cracked or bubbling paint can also be an indication they you have a termite infestation behind your walls. As termites eat decaying woods the paint on your drywall can become corroded.
4. Another obvious sign of a termite invasion is to look for their droppings. These of course will almost be microscopic, however if you see a small pile of frass, or termite droppings, near wooden structures then you should plan on how you are going to exterminate the termites.
5. If possible you can also check the wood itself. Termites generally start from the inside out when destroying wood. Therefore, if you are able to access the potentially infested area you can tap the wood to see if it sounds hollow. If you hear a hollow sound you may have a severe termite infestation that requires extermination immediately because the buildings structural integrity may not be safe.
6. Termites live in small mud cake tunnels produced from their saliva and droppings. If you have seen a termite mound then you know what type of material you are looking for in your house. If you see these dried out wooden structures you should investigate them to see if the structures are still harboring an active termite infestation.
Get Rid of Termites
Once you have identified a termite infestation you must know face the issue and exterminate the pests. There are multiple paths to take but in the case of termites and how notoriously hard they are to remove we recommend consulting with a professional termite extermination service. This will also ensure that your homes structural integrity isn't threatened because you potentially missed a termite colony. However, if you are confident that the infestation is small and you can easily access the location there are a couple of homemade termite repellent and killing solution you can make.
Read more from our site to find out how to deal with a termite infestation.
