The Trick To Keeping Your Cypress Home Termite-Free
What Do Termites In Cypress Look Like?
Termites are common here in Cypress, and they expose local properties to some serious consequences. Known as the “silent destroyers” of the pest world, they feed on wood and other construction materials like plaster and siding, making their way into the core of your property and threatening its structural integrity.
They set up colonies near wood for easy access to food and can quickly set up multiple infestation sites on your property, both inside and outside. One colony can contain thousands upon thousands of termites. Though their colonies are large, termites are relatively small pests. They look like ants, though they’re slightly larger than ants – and much more destructive.
When it comes to effective termite control, a good place to start is being able to identify these wood-eaters in the first place. Here are some basic ways to identify termites in general (specifically adult worker termites):
The body of a termite consists of two segments and a straight abdomen.
They have distinct appendages, including two antennae and six legs.
Termites vary in size, ranging from 1/8 – 1 inch long.
They can vary in color from white to brown to black (depending on their life stage).
The details of a termite’s appearance vary depending on their caste and their life-cycle stage. For instance, worker termites look like translucent white ants, while soldiers look more like the typical brown termite that everyone pictures in their mind. In order to understand that, it’s important we go over the general life cycle of a termite.
Termites live in a caste system. They all start off as eggs, then turn into larvae, and then go one of three ways, depending on their role within the colony. Either they become a worker, a soldier, or reproductive termites. Reproductive termites become nymphs after the larval stage. From there, the nymph becomes an alate, also known as a reproductive termite.
The alates have two sets of wings that are equal in length which they then use to become swarmers, flying around the property in search of new breeding sites. After the rainfall, as the weather begins warming up, it’s common to see swarmer termites flying around looking for a new place to reproduce.
While there are a variety of termite species here in Texas, there are two main classifications that property owners should be familiar with: subterranean termites, and drywood termites. Here are some of the major distinctions between the two termite types:
Subterranean Termites
This is the most destructive termite species around.
They need to be near soil and water sources to survive, as they are moisture pests.
They create mud tubes to travel to the foundation of your structure and secure food.
Their jaws are saw-toothed, and they feed on wood constantly, one small bite at a time.
Infestation can occur both inside the interior and around the exterior of the property.
They’re highly attracted to moisture and drawn to accumulated moisture around the foundation.
Colonies range in size from 60,000 to two million termites; several colonies can co-exist at once.
They’re attracted to moist, warm climates and are usually found near damaged wood and wood products.
They can spread far and wide, covering larger areas with trees, structures, and standing poles.
A small colony can eat 1/5 ounce – 5 grams of wood every single day.
These silent destroyers can cause a building to completely collapse over time.
Drywood Termites
These termites infest dry wood, and they do not require contact with soil.
Their colonies are smaller in size and can have up to 2,500 members.
They do not operate in the same caste system and do not have workers.
They infest dry wood and can chew on support beams, floors, and walls.
They access your property through small holes in damaged or weakened wood.
They enter via attics, vents, eaves, fasciae, and gaps around windows and doors.
They can easily be transported to different places via wooden items like furniture.
They emerge on hot, sunny days when temperatures are higher.
They are harder to see because they nest deep within the structural timbers.
They produce fecal pellets near infested wood.
No matter what kind of termite you’re dealing with, the bottom line is that these invaders are destructive, and they mean business. The absolute best way to deal with a termite infestation is to call on the experts. Modern Pest Control is your local source for quality termite control solutions.
What Is Involved In A Termite Inspection In Cypress?
Now that you know the most effective way to protect your Cypress property from termites is to get professional pest control services, we can tell you a little about what we do. Our termite control process at Modern Pest Control is thorough and customized. We start with a full inspection in which our team of licensed pest technicians walks through the property to get a better idea of the problem.
A typical termite inspection involves the following:
Check the interior and exterior of your home.
Identify signs of termite activity and termite damage.
Detect entry points and conducive conditions.
Check the shingles, the roof, fascia boards, and eaves.
Look for any damage in support beams, sills, and floor joists.
Assess the damage to determine the right plan of action.
The overall goal of our initial termite inspection is to accurately detect active termite populations and any signs indicating termite activity. We’ll look for any signs of feeding or damage to wood. We also look out for things like fecal matter, discarded wings, mud tubes, damaged wood, etc. Many different signs indicate the presence of termites.
Whatever indications there may be around your property, we’ll find them, note them, and address them. Here are some of the common signs that we look out for:
Active termite swarmers flying around doorways, walls, windows, etc.
Ceilings and walls that buckle, and crumbling windowsills
Damp, damaged, rotting, or weakened wood
Drooping drywall, loose tiles, and painted walls that bubble and peel
Excessively squeaky floors that make noise whenever you walk around
Mud tubes in the ground traveling to openings along your foundation
Signs of water damage to wood or other structural elements
Small tapping sounds or clicking noises coming from inside the walls
Tight-fitting doors and windows that are hard to open and close
Visible cracks and crevices along the foundation
Wings discarded on the floor near doors and windows (from termite swarmers)
Wood structures with maze-like designs and gallery tunnels through drywall
Wood that sounds hollow when tapped or knocked on
Worker termites in the soil; they are translucent, which makes them look like white ants
We also look for general signs of moisture damage, as this can indicate the presence of termites. Moisture damage and termite infestation go hand-in-hand, so if you have one, you likely have the other. Moisture also attracts all kinds of other pests, so if you do have water damage, you are vulnerable to all types of infestation.
The Dangers Of Termites In Your Cypress Home
In regard to the damage termites can cause, well, it’s pretty astonishing, considering their tiny size. As cellulose-feeders, termites eat common construction materials that make up the structure of your Cypress home or business. They eat away at moisture-damaged wood around your property, threatening the structural integrity over time and eroding it from the inside out.
Slowly but surely, termites erode the structural timbers of your house, making it an unsafe environment. Here are the major considerations when it comes to the consequences of termites:
They feed on cellulose, which includes wood, plaster, and other structural materials.
They can cause severe damage to your personal belongings (letters, pictures, furniture, clothing, boxes, etc.)
They contaminate and destroy your insulation, and they can compromise your filter systems.
Termites breed in large numbers, and they can grow their colonies to spread throughout your structure.
Termites cause large-scale property damage that can cost you millions of dollars in repairs.
These are just a few ways that termites can destroy your home and compromise your safety. Not only is termite damage a huge threat to your safety, but it can also be a huge financial problem. The scope of the damage can be jarring, costing homeowners hundreds of thousands of dollars every single year.
In fact, the NPMA (National Pest Management Association) estimates that U.S. home and business owners spend around five billion dollars annually on termite repair and prevention costs. What makes things worse is that most homeowners’ insurance plans don’t cover termite damage. That’s why repairs can get so costly, draining your finances and adding to the nightmarish headache of it all.
Why Termite Control In Cypress Is Necessary
Now that you know the potential damage that termites can cause imagine these things happening to your Cypress property. It’s a real issue, and it’s a lot more threatening than you may think. These tiny wood-eaters can cause large-scale property damage that threatens your health, your safety, and your life savings. Termites threaten everyone in your home or business, making it a dangerous place to be, as who knows when the entire building might collapse!? That’s scary, and it’s just not a risk worth taking.
The best thing you can do is take preventative action and be proactive in your termite prevention efforts. Here are some ways to prevent termite activity around your property:
Apply loose mortar or weather stripping around doors and windows.
Avoid any wood-to-soil contact throughout the property.
Divert water from the house by maintaining functional gutters.
Eliminate any rotting or moisture-damaged wood.
Eliminate excess moisture around the property.
Examine any wood or wooden items brought onto your property
Fix downspouts to extend further away from the house
Fix leaky pipes, faulty faucets, and plumbing issues.
Grow indoor plants that are known for absorbing humidity.
Install a dehumidifier in moisture-rich areas of the house
Install vent fans in moisture-rich areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.
Keep outdoor lights turned off at night, as termites are drawn to light sources.
Make sure woodpiles and wooden structures are kept at a good distance from the house.
Make sure your soil is well-drained to reduce moisture.
Monitor mulch distribution as mulch contains moisture.
Reduce excess moisture throughout the property.
Service your HVAC unit on a regular basis to control moisture levels.
These preventative measures give you a great jumping-off point from which you can continue to be proactive in your termite control efforts. However, at the end of the day, the safest and most effective way to control termites around your home is to seek out professional pest protection.
Modern Pest Control is here to address your termite control needs. We take care of termites in the home and the lawn, wood, and soil. We use trusted brand-name products to bring you guaranteed results. Sentricon® is a green product that wipes out termite colonies using minimally active ingredients, and it’s our preferred method of treatment. We offer the following:
Sentricon® Installation
Sentricon® stations are placed in the soil throughout your property
Treatment targets the foraging nature of termite workers
Stations filled with Recruit HD termite bait food sources to attract termites
Termites leave scent trails to summon the rest of the colony
The baits are taken back to the colony and eliminate all termites, including the Queen
Ongoing Termite Protection
Sentricon® systems monitor the property for new termite activity
Provides continuous protection from these destructive wood-eating pests
All our treatments are customizable to meet your needs because your satisfaction is the most important thing. If you want to guarantee year-round protection from termite activity, give us a call today. You can count on our comprehensive termite control services to protect you from termite damage.