Signs You Need To Call A Pest Control Company About Termites
No one wants to find out that their home has termites. If there are termites, however, you want to contact a pest control services company as soon as possible. How do you figure out if termites are present, though?
Hollowed-Out Wood
Termites strongly prefer to eat wood, especially if it is moist. If they find exterior walls that are absorbing humidity, they'll devour them.
When termites eat the wood, they consume it from the inside out. To ward off predators, they leave the outer layer intact. Consequently, you may see what looks like an intact wall with the paint on it. However, you can knock on the wood. If it sounds hollow or feels papery, then there's a good chance your home requires termite services.
Tubes
Termites also use mud tubes to facilitate underground travel. Frequently, they'll establish these passages along a home's foundation. A typical mud tube will be about the thickness of a pencil. There will be several that termites use to travel between outdoor and indoor spaces. You may also see traces of the mud inside your home if the termites are tracking it in.
Wet Wood
Wet wood attracts termites. If you already suspect that termites are present, you should look for spots where the wood is damp. If there's a slight water leak along an outside wall, for example, that's enough to get a termite colony's attention.
Feces
Like all pests, termites leave behind droppings. Termite feces usually looks like sawdust or coffee grounds depending on the color of the wood in their diet. The droppings tend to be thin and elongated, and they'll usually appear near tiny holes in the walls.
Damaged Wood
Look for damaged wood in your house and around the property. Termite colonies often migrate from wood piles or tree stumps into structures. If you have a wooden shed, for example, you might see evidence that termites hollowed out the wood. The wood also may have some bend or sag to it because it no longer has enough strength to support its weight. Even if the termites haven't made it to your house, take this as a warning sign to inquire about pest control services.
Wing Remnants
When a termite colony decides to settle, its members will lose their wings. This is the start of swarming behavior. A swarming colony is planning to set up a permanent home. If you see wing remnants anywhere on your property, that's a bad sign.
For more information, contact a company like Good News Pest Solutions.