Wood Destroying Insect Inspections

If you suspect that your home has termites, you have reason to be concerned...

More than 365,000 homes will need the fire department this year. But over 2 million homes will require termite treatment.

Homeowners insurance will help recover losses from fires, storms and earthquakes, but it is almost impossible to carry insurance against termite infestation. This is why many homeowners purchase a contract for annual inspections and treatment as necessary by a professional pest control firm.

Your pest control operator can provide protection from termite infestation. Termites can be found in almost every state as well as Mexico and parts of Canada. They feed on wood and may also destroy cellulose products such as books, cardboard, boxes and a variety of other items. Even buildings with steel framing and masonry walls are targets because of the wooden door and window frames, cabinets and shelving within the buildings.

A termite colony is large, composed of the queen, king, winged reproductive swarmers, soldiers and workers. Worker termites are small, creamy white insects. They are the most numerous and the cause of all the termite damage. A property owner seldom sees the worker termites, but in the spring or fall he may see swarming "winged reproductives."

This form of termite can easily be confused with a winged ant.

HOW TERMITES ENTER THE HOME

The most common termite, the subterranean, builds its nest in the ground.

These termites construct mud tubes which are used to explore for food and connect their underground nest to that food source. They can enter a building without direct wood contact with the soil through such tubes.

Termites can enter buildings through cracks, expansion joints, hollow bricks or concrete blocks around plumbing. They can find their way into a structure through an opening as small as 1/32 of an inch.

Any building, whether constructed with slab, basement or crawl space foundations, can be targets for termite infestation.

DETECTING AND CONTROLLING TERMITES IS A JOB FOR THE 

PROFESSIONAL

A thorough inspection by a termite specialist is the first and most important step in protecting your property. "Experienced" eyes can locate the specific areas in your structure where termite attack is likely to occur.

TEMITICIDES

Applying termiticides to soil around the exterior foundation creates a chemical treated area against the termites and is accomplished by trenching, rodding and/or drilling.

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SLAB TREATMENT

A treatment for slab construction consists of drilling through the slab floor and injecting termiticides into soil along the inside perimeters of the foundation.

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BASEMENTS

Basement construction may require treatment which injects termiticides into the soil through holes drilled in the basement floor at regular intervals.

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CRAWL SPACES

Crawl space treatment also involves trenching or rodding soil along the foundation walls and around piers and pipes, then applying termiticides to the soil.

Then the Pest Control Operator will design a treatment plan for your house that will control any current infestation and establish a chemical barrier around the structure to inhibit further termite entry.

OTHER TERMITE ISSUES

In certain areas of the country you may encounter different types of termites, such as Formosan, dampwood, drywood, etc. If your home is infested with one of these termites, it may require different or more extensive treatment procedures including wood treatment and fumigation.