Did you know that homeowners who discover a termite infestation will spend $3000 on average to repair the problem? Statistics like that make finding the best termite control method possible an absolute must. Termite protection for homes, though, can seem a bit complicated. After all, a quick look at the results from any search engine is likely to reveal multiple results, so where do you even begin? This quick guide can help.
Understanding What Termite Infestation Looks Like
If you’re going to prevent termite problems in your home, the first step is to understand what you might look for. In Florida, though, there are many types of termites, so it’s important to understand the signs that might have a problem, no matter which type of termites have invaded your home.
Eastern Subterranean Termites are likely the most common, both in Florida and in the United States. Throughout the U.S., they invade about one in five homes every year. With this type of termite, the signal that you have a problem is usually the swarmers that emerge every spring. You may also notice earth-colored termite tubes on walls, wooden posts, or even wall studs.
Dampwood termites are also problematic in Florida. They come in through leaky roofs and other spaces where a leak might have occurred at some point, like the bathroom or kitchen. Unlike subterranean termites, though, they don’t burrow underground. Instead, you’re likely to notice them if you see something that looks like sawdust attached to wood. It’s frass, or the fecal pellets of termites. Swarmers happen with this type of termite, too, so you may notice that as well.
Floridians have also spotted Formosan subterranean termites in their homes. In fact, they were first reported in Florida in the early 1980s, and they have huge colonies. One colony can host more than a million termites. You’ll notice these creatures thanks to the foraging tubes they build on the outside of your home. Swarmers are fairly common, but you may also notice a blistered or peeled look to the wood in or around your home. That effect occurs because the wood has been hollowed out, leaving just a thin surface behind.
Powderpost drywood termites are the last type of termite you may find in your home. Unlike other types of termites, they don’t need any ground level moisture. Instead, they suck the moisture out of the wood. As with every other type of termite, swarmers are probably the most obvious symptom of a problem, but they sometimes build shelter tubes on the outside of wood to help them move from place to place. Their colonies are much smaller in size, and often an infested building has multiple colonies in the same space.
Why We Trust Termidor Termite Treatment
While there are many different ways to treat termites, we’ve found that Termidor is one of the best options on the market today. It controls the kinds of termites Florida homeowners deal with on a regular basis. It’s made from a virtually undetectable chemical that helps to eliminate termite problems in and around your home. that means that termites don’t avoid the treatment zone because they don’t know it’s there. Termidor is so effective, it’s been one of the most thoroughly reviewed termite control products on the market today, and treatments last far longer than anything else on the market today.
At Slug-A-Bug, we use Termidor on a regular basis for homeowners who are dealing with termite problems. In fact, we think it’s the best termite treatment on the market today. It works like this. We apply a liquid dilution of Termidor along the foundation of your home. It binds to the soil, and that creates a treatment zone. In the event of drywood termites, we’ll apply it directly into the termite galleries we find. The termites then eat the treated material, and they die. Termites that simply touch the treated area carry it to the other termites they come in contact with. Those termites carry it to others, and it transfers throughout the colony. Suddenly, the entire colony has one very big Termidor problem.
Preventing Termites
Termidor was designed to treat existing termite problems, but there are a few things you can do to prevent termites from entering your home. Start by inspecting for potential problems on a regular basis. Keep the soil around the foundation of your home dry, and reduce any openings that mean termites might have a chance to invade, like cracks in your foundation. If you have a leak, repair it immediately, and keep trees and shrubs planted well away from your home. If you store firewood, store that well away from your home as well.
Ready to deal with your termite problem and protect your home from future invasion? Give us a call today.