How to Tell if You Have Termites in Your Home

“You have termites.” These are the dreaded words that no homeowner wants to hear. Termites can get inside your home and cause thousands of dollars of damage before you even know that they have a presence in your dwelling, earning them the nickname “silent destroyers.” According to the United States Department of Agriculture , American homes will sustain an estimated 5 million dollars in termite damage each year.

Termite Characteristics

The first step in preventing termite infestation in your home is understanding their characteristics. In Mississippi, we have three kinds of termites: eastern subterranean termites, southeastern dry-wood termites, and Formosan termites. The most common variant is the eastern subterranean termite. This termite is a small insect that lives in huge colonies with each colony having thousands of termites living there. They live underground and spend their lives constantly looking for food, eating such things as cellulose material from fallen trees, dead plant debris, and other wood sources. They are attracted to moist environments as well so they are sometimes found in mulch around your home, or they will live in the food source such as a fallen tree. These colonies are considered mobile colonies and will relocate to new food sources when necessary.

How do They Get in My House?

Termites enter your home through small cracks in the foundation or small holes. Once inside, they begin to search for food sources, tunneling through non-cellulose material until they find a cellulose food source.
What are the Signs That Termites are in My House?

Signs of termite infestation include:

• Warped or sagging floors and doors
• Seeing a swarm of termites (a group of winged termites flying near your house)
• Holes in the wood either outside or inside your home
• Clear termite shells left behind when the termite molts

How do I Avoid a Termite Infestation?

1. Remove all stumps and root systems of dead shrubs as well as trees in your yard.
2. Remove and replace mulch annually. Mulch gets very moist over time and attracts termites.
3. Keep all tree and shrub branches pruned and off the ground. Termites live just below the ground’s surface and will consider low branches a food source.
4. Make sure all wood structures and wood piles are at least 15 feet from your house.
5. Perform periodic maintenance to make sure all gutter and water drainage systems are working properly.
6. Make sure you don’t have standing water on your property and that grading is done properly to keep water moving away from the property.

It is imperative for the homeowner to understand that termites are silent destroyers and can be extremely difficult to control. In addition to the above precautions, hiring a professional pest control company like Tri-County to inspect your property and implement a regular treatment plan is an important factor in eliminating the infestation while preventing a future one in the process.
If you think you have termites, do not try and handle it by yourself. While there are some retail products available, the odds of a homeowner finding all areas infested by termites is low, making re-infestation a common occurrence.

Unbeatable customer service

At Tri-County Pest Control, you aren’t just another client. Previous customers will tell you that our company truly cares about each of our clients and this is why they continue to recommend us to others. Customers know we are a locally owned and family run business that will always be here to take care of our customers.
Whether you are suspicious of termite activity or are proactively seeking to protect your home or business, Tri-County is the business you want protecting your investment with termite control now and in the future. Call us at (662) 840-1163 to talk to our knowledgeable technicians and schedule a free evaluation and price quote.

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