Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Termites are one of the worst nightmares for any homeowner. When they infest, they colonize very rapidly; munching on the wood that’s in their way. While termites are notorious for eating wood, damaging the home, they are also very harmful to the health of the residents inside.

Millions of dollars are spent on termite treatments and prevention. Before you spend too much on termite extermination, get your home inspected. It’s imperative to know the current status of any termite infestation. Knowing the category of the termite investigation will save additional damage that can be caused by the termites.

Although most termites are subterranean insects, meaning they are generally underground, there are also visible signs above the ground to detect their presence. In determining the current status of a termite infestation, first you need to recognize the signs. Look for termite tubes, also known as mud tubes, in and around the house. Knock on any wood structures in your home and see if you can feel any hollowness in the wood.

A termite inspection is best handled by termite inspection professionals. The basic steps involved in a professional termite inspection are as follows:

Step 1: Inspecting The Exterior

A professional termite inspector will start looking for the signs of a termite infestation on the exterior of your home. If your home does have termites roaming around, then their signs will be visible outside. He will thoroughly inspect the perimeter of the home, and also the foundation. The termite inspector will be looking for actual termites, and the termite tubes. If your home has any dead bushes or wild growth, then the inspector will ask you to remove them to keep your place free from any kind of infestation.

Step 2: Inspecting The Interior

After completing a thorough inspection of the exterior of a home, the inspector will move towards the interior. Termite inspections are more difficult inside the home; as compared to the exterior. This is because there are many more places inside the home that need to be checked. Termite tubes can be almost anywhere and everywhere; on the windows, corners, inside closets, in the kitchen cabinets and behind heavy appliances. If there is heavy infestation, then the tubes are typically found inside the walls and floor throughout the home.

Step 3: Inspect The Crawl Space & Basement

The crawl spaces and basements of homes are the favorite hiding place for termites. It would be a big mistake to avoid inspecting them. The home inspector will have the appropriate equipment needed to inspect every crawl space in the home, and will have the expertise to know if a home is even the least bit susceptible to termites.

Step 4: Inspect The Attic

If you think the attics are high above the ground and there is little chance of finding termites there then you are wrong. You will be surprised to know that many times the infestation is not found anywhere else in the home but attics. So this makes it necessary to inspect the top level of the home as much as the other parts of the home.

Conclusion

Termite inspection does not involve any treatment related to termite eradication, but it is just the survey of the home to determine the current status of infestation. This will help in knowing where there are signs of termites in your home, and how much damage has already been caused. Such inspections also help you in selling your home, as many buyers prefer to have the home thoroughly inspected before buying it.

If it is determined that a home is in deed infested with termites, professional termite control will be needed to exterminate the destructive pests.

Author Bio:

Ethen Hunt is the author of this article. He writers for New Jersey Termite Inspector and recommends his services if you are looking for Termite Inspection.

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Periodic termite inspections are an important responsibility of a homeowner. However, the sensible thing to do is ward off termite damage before it happens instead of waiting until you’re left with crumbling walls and furniture. Some building codes may require pretreatment to aid in the prevention of the wood-eating insects during the construction process of new homes, and if they don’t, it should definitely be something you consider looking into. The future of your home may depend on the protection that’s placed around it from the very beginning. As your foundation is being laid, it is probably a good idea to be aware of the treatment methods used in the developmental stages and talk them over with your pest control experts and contractor to ensure that the job is done correctly. A properly pre-treated residence allows termiticides to be administered in places that can’t be reached once the structure is built and may provide a much longer and more cost-effective approach to termite resistance.

Termiticide Soil Administration

Termites make their way up to a home by traveling through tunnels they construct in the soil around it. For a soil treatment to be the most effective, it must involve several stages that last from the pouring of the foundation to landscaping and be applied with specialized tools. The termiticide chemicals should be funneled into trenches that are dug out on each side of the foundation to let the soil around the new construction become fully saturated. During slab construction, the soil should be treated before the concrete is poured to make sure it reaches all necessary areas. This will aid in creating a barrier between termites and the wood used in the supporting structures, foundations and piers of the home and most likely hinder an infestation. Continually treating the soil throughout construction as the exterior is formulated is essential in protecting each foundational element.

Baiting

Once the final grading on your new residence is complete, you have the option of choosing to have termite baits installed as an alternative to soil treatment or in conjunction with it. Baits are often used for population control of the insects and are placed in several stations around the property. They use wood to trick termites into feeding on them instead of the wood in your house, and in turn, infect them with a termiticide that will eventually reduce the colony as long as they keep feeding. Baits have to be monitored and maintained, which can also be done during regular termite inspections.

Wood Treatment

Treating exposed wood that will be used in the construction of your new home using a borate chemical solution will almost certainly preserve your wood exterior for its lifetime. Termites will be deterred from creating shelter tubes along the treated wood and won’t find them desirable enough to feed on. The chemical must be applied before installing any sheetrock or siding and should be done again to any new wood structures that are part of an expansion; otherwise your residence will just become vulnerable again.

Waiting until post construction to have a termite inspection and treatment may result in an infestation that will be much more difficult and costly to control.

Author Bio

My name is Tiffany Olson and I love to blog. I write on topics such as home improvement, pest management, health and wellness and travel. KillRoy.com is company that I’ve received advice from in the past. They specialize in pest control and termite inspection in Hayward.

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Do you have a swarm of pests outside your home? Chances are, you are dealing with either termites or carpenter ants; both of these bugs swarm during spring, which is their mating season. It is important to figure out exactly which pest you have, however, because termites can be very destructive and require treatment from professionals. Luckily, there are ways that you can determine the difference between these two bugs.

Examine Their Bodies

Do your best to capture one of the bugs, and examine it closely. If the body does not appear to be segmented, you probably have a termite. If, however, you notice a distinct waist, it is more likely to be a carpenter ant. In addition, the antennae of carpenter ants are bent rather than straight like a termite’s antennae. Finally, all of the termite’s wings are the same shape, but a carpenter ant’s hind wings are smaller than its front wings. An ant is generally darker than a termite as well; termites tend to be light or white whereas ants are reddish.

Observe Their Habits

If you can’t capture a bug, try observing its habits to gain clues instead. Carpenter ants don’t mind going out during the daytime, because it gives them an opportunity to look for food. Termites do not like the sunlight, though, so you are less likely to see them in the sun except under rare circumstances. In addition, termite’s wings are very fragile, so you make see some start to gather near the nesting site.

Carpenter ants and termites can both make a mess of your wood, but they are different in one very major way; termites eat the wood, but carpenter ants simply make holes in it. Because of this, you will often notice wood shavings near the holes if you have carpenter ants, because as they dig, they push the wood out to make their tunnel. In addition, a mud tube is a clear indication that you have termites. You might see one of these on the exterior of a wall or between the wood and the soil in areas where the termites frequent.

Take Care Of The Problem

Regardless of which pest you are dealing with, you must take immediate steps to correct the problem. For termites, calling in a pest control company is your best option. For carpenter ants, you may be able to get rid of them yourself if you can make your home less attractive to them. However, remember that they can still cause damage to your wood, so you still need to take them seriously. If, after reading the information above, you still aren’t sure if the winged bug is a termite or a carpenter ant, bring a sample to a pest control company. They will help you identify it and explain your treatment options.

Termites cause millions of dollars in damage for homeowners every year. If you have a winged bug flying around your home, take steps to identify it and then treat the problem. Quick action could save you a lot of money.

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Morgan is a proud mother, who enjoys spending her days discovering fun and interesting things to do with her young son. At night, she is an avid writer and solves all her pest problems with the help of a Jersey City pest control company.

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Guest Post Published By Thomas Ballantyne

 Being a thief just doesn’t pay.

Image via Wikipedia

A theif decided to bury his stolen treasure. And it just so happened that a hungry termite colony found the stash. Ultimately termites ate up more than Rs 3 lakh of the Rs 5 lakh in Rs 500 currency notes he had hidden under the ground, which equates to about $6,000 to $10,000 in U.S currency. (currency translation per Jey Pandian) It’s funny most people only think of termite’s costing money due to structural damage.  They eat up more money in the US than all other natural disaster’s combined. But in this case, they literally ate the money. Green bucks are still made from trees, and that’s the same root that termites like to feast upon. Moral of the story… Don’t be a thief!

That’s your Friday Fun Pest Report!

NAGPUR: A satisfied colony of termites proved to be the Nemesis of a thief who had left a considerable stolen booty buried in the premises of a school in Dhantoli. The termites ate up more than Rs 3 lakh of the Rs 5 lakh in Rs 500 currency notes he had hidden under the ground. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-22/nagpur/29802776_1_crime-branch-lucky-madhao-giri

 

Other than bury it, what would do with $6,000?

Annie Cushing… “Buy shoes!”