How To Identify Signs Of Termites Around Your Houston Home
Of all the infestations that homeowners may face, termites are perhaps the ones that cause the most distress. Termites cause billions of dollars of damage every year, and a termite infestation in your home almost guarantees that damage is occurring to the structure of your home; the longer they are in your home, the more damage they cause. Termites are a growing problem all over the country.
Termites are well suited for survival in the wild. They situate their nests underground for safety, have highly organized colony structures in which different members of the colony have distinct roles, and constantly seek to establish new colonies.
Termites feed on wood and serve an important function in nature by helping to reduce wood debris. These natural tendencies do termites well in the wild but make them extreme pests in urban environments. Termites survive by feeding on wood, and urban areas are full of everything they need not only to survive but thrive. When termites successfully infest a home or structure in an urban area where they can grow undisturbed, the infestation will eventually become big enough to start sending out colony members to establish new colonies.
The cumulative effect of this is that termites in urban environments are in a state of constantly sending out members to form new colonies. Urban areas offer the highest chances of experiencing termite infestations because of this; even if you catch and eradicate one termite infestation, another one is always just around the corner.
If termites have decided to move into your Houston home and make a meal out of it, you want termite treatments for your home as soon as possible. Skilled professionals have the knowledge and experience to effectively remove termites from your house, and pest control in Houston can be easy when you call Modern Pest Control. We have an extensive history of successfully eliminating termite infestations in the Houston area. Call us today for help with any pest infestation in your home, including termites.
You're Not Likely To Ever Actually See A Termite
Termite infestations are one of the most difficult infestations to identify. Termites usually make their way into your home through hard-to-detect pathways, and they tend to avoid visiting the areas you occupy. Because they seek wood, they typically situate themselves behind the walls of your home and in between your floors. They can stay in these areas for years before the colony gets large.
Termite infestations always start small when flying termites leave their original colonies to establish new colonies elsewhere. Once they find a place they like, termites will shed their wings and move in. Small infestations do not consume much wood, and the termites in your home may be very satisfied living in a small area. As time goes on, however, the colony will grow, and their need for wood increases.
Because termites tend to stay in small areas of your home behind walls or between floors, discovering a termite infestation can be challenging unless you know what to look for. Even then, the early phases of a termite infestation may be all but undetectable. Termites tend to enter and leave your house through pathways that lead them directly outside and do not transition through the open spaces inside your home. The only time termites are likely to emerge inside your home is when the infestation gets large enough that the colony begins to send out winged termites to establish new colonies. You might suddenly find termites buzzing around the inside of your house and in windows while trying to find a way out.
If termites have come to your house, it is critical to treat the infestation as soon as possible. Failure to do that may allow more damage to occur to your house. Termites naturally continue to expand their colonies as long as area resources permit. If termites are in your home, their colony will continue to grow in size until you address the infestation. The average termite-related repair runs into thousands of dollars, and it gets more expensive as time goes on. If you have termites, contacting Modern Pest Control makes sense. We have an extensive list of satisfied clients, and we would like to make you happy with our services. Get in contact with us today to get rid of termites.
How To Identify Signs Of Termite Damage
A termite problem in your home can be hard to detect and cause considerable damage to your home. Once a colony grows large, it can be challenging to eliminate, and termite control is easier if you catch infestations early. Here are some ways to identify if termites have made their way into your home:
Holes in your walls: Termites explore by chewing, and when they are in your home, they can sometimes chew through the walls and into your home's interior. If you detect small holes in your walls, this might be a sign that termites have moved into your home and are causing damage. It is best to check your walls regularly and investigate the bottom three feet of your walls, where termites will likely emerge first.
Wings in your home: Termites expand by sending out flying colony members to establish new colonies elsewhere. Termites do this when they seek new places to live, and as soon as they find a place that meets your satisfaction, they will shed their wings and move in. If you see small insect wings scattered throughout your house, especially on windowsills, you may have a termite infestation in your home.
Sagging floors: Because termites eat wood for food, the structure in your home looks very appealing to them. The longer they are in your home, the more they will damage the wood, and if the wood they damage is between the floors of your home, your floors may begin to sag as support structures weaken. Seeing sagging floors in your home may indicate that termites are present and damaging it.
Poorly aligned windows and doors: If termites damage the structure of your home, the foundation of your home may begin to settle. As it does, the alignments of your doorways and windows may start to change. You may suddenly find that your doors and windows are hard to open and close; it may be because termites are damaging your home.
Cracks in your walls: If your home begins to settle because of termite-related damage, it may also cause the walls of your home to start to demonstrate cracking. These cracks can introduce other problems in addition to the damage that's already present. Cracked walls allow water to enter, and wood-related rot can compound any problems termites are already causing.
Modern Pest Control Is the best termite control company near you. Termite infestations can be difficult to identify and even harder to treat. Effective treatment of termites requires considerable knowledge of termite habits and behaviors; the average homeowner doesn't have the experience to deal with termites on their own effectively. If you are having trouble with termites today, get in touch with Modern Pest Control. We can help you get termites out of your house and keep them away. We are the best termite company near you.
How To Identify And Remove Factors That Attract Termites
Here are some of the things that attract termites to your house and what you can do to help correct them:
Wooden stumps: Wooden stumps in the ground serve as a major attractant for termites. Termites usually access wood in contact with the ground before anything else. Wood stumps and their associated roots are perfect for termites. They can access the wood without ever leaving the ground and then move up into the insides of the stump. From there, it is a short trip to your home. Removing old stumps from your yard is an excellent way to discourage termites from coming into your yard and staying.
Wood in contact with the ground: Other than stumps, other forms of wood can attract termites if they are in contact with the ground. This includes firewood and scrap wood stored in contact with the ground. The best way to keep this from happening is to elevate wood off the ground. This makes it much harder for termites to encounter the wood and start using it for food.
Clutter: Pests of all types are drawn to clutter, including termites. They will readily investigate clutter in your yard and, from there, may move on to your house. Minimize clutter in your yard to eliminate many different types of pests, including termites.
Mulch: Mulch is definitely attractive in your yard, and many people use it for garden beds and planting areas. Unfortunately, mulch serves as a major draw for termites. The very nature of mulch is that it is a lot of wood in contact with the ground, and because it holds humidity, it is highly enticing to termites. Termites love to nest in and feed on mulch, and this is also something that can draw them close to your home. Minimizing the amount of mulch you use in your yard can help reduce the chances that termites move in, and keeping mulch away from your house decreases the chances that they will move into your walls.
Mud tubes: Termites avoid bright light while they move to and from your house to the outside. If you see mud tubes anywhere near the foundation of your home, it is an indication that termites are active on your property. At this point, prompt termite removal is critical to keep further damage from happening to your house.
Seal your home: Termites are tiny and can exploit small openings in your house to gain access inside. Once inside, they will readily establish a colony if they find what they like. Sealing your home well is an excellent way to decrease the ability of termites to find their way in.
These are some of the things that will attract termites to your home. Even one of these situations can attract termites, but having more than one of these situations present in your yard at the same time can multiply your chances of having to deal with termite infestations. They also increase the chances of drawing future infestations even after eliminating the original termites. If you are struggling with a termite infestation in your home, Modern Pest Control professionals can help you. Call us today for help with termites or any other pest infestation. We can get rid of any pest infestation, including termites.
Contact The Pros For Total Termite Control For Your Home
Termite infestations are a bad problem growing worse, and Houston homeowners increasingly have to deal with them. Because of their habits and behaviors, termite infestations are difficult to identify and can be even more challenging to control, even after you discover them. Termite infestations tend to locate behind the walls of your home or between floors, and they do not readily come out into the areas that humans occupy. Termites have everything they want as long as they can reach the wood in your home and water in the ground.
If you need to know how to get rid of termites, it's as simple as calling Modern Pest Control. Our company has been successfully managing pest infestations in the Houston area for a long time. We have all the knowledge and experience we need to eliminate termite infestations. If termites have come to visit your home, don't try to go it alone. All it takes is a quick call to us in order to get rid of termites and keep them from returning later. Call us today! You will be glad you did.