When you spot termites in your home it is cause for alarm; they could soon be eating their way through all your favorite wooden furniture. They will attach any wood inside your home, including structural elements like ceiling beams, tables, chairs, work surfaces and more. Severe termite infestations can be costly to cull and can wreak havoc in a home. This article is all about identifying and removing termites in your home.
Termites can be very hard to spot. Many people aren’t even aware of the termites in their home, let alone the damage that they are inflicting on the structure of the property and any wooden furniture within it. The problem with termite problems is that they do not live in the wood that they consume. They are smaller than ants and can be very hard to locate, as they build nests in the grass.
Identification
One of the most telling signs of termite presence is small deposits of sawdust, and portions of wood that look to have been eaten. If you’re trying to locate the termite’s nest it is usually located outside the home (not far, maybe a foot or two from the property).
Removal
Once you have identified your unwanted guests it’s time to remove them. Whether you have a go yourself, or hire professional pest control services, it starts by removing any visible termites. Once they have been removed you can begin examining furniture and the property’s structure for damage. At this point a decision should be made about whether important structural repairs are needed to avoid further damage being done.
It’s important that termite removal is done efficiently, as leaving just a few termites will result in a repeat infestation at some point in the near future. Termites will literally eat the home from around you so removing 100% of them is crucial.
The Professionals
Professional termite exterminators will examine every corner of your home for the pests. They may use gas to get them to leave, which can result in termites simply migrating to another nearby property. There’s a good chance that your termite infestation was actually triggered by them being evicted from a nearby property. For this reason it’s a good idea to take some preventative measures including using chemicals on wooden structures and furniture that will help to make it taste unappetizing to termites.
It can be tempted to deal with these sort of pest problems yourself, but when it comes to termites you really are best hiring the services of a professional for treatment as well as prevention. They will be able to inspect for signs of structural damage and offer treatment options.
Once you find termites within your home, the damage has probably already been done, but at least you can do something about evicting them from your home. Contact a professional pest control company to see how they treat termite infestations and the options available to you.
Alan Derry writes on a number of subjects including humane pest control for rodents.
