DIY: How to Spot and Stop Termite Infestations Before They Take Hold

If you are a homeowner, you want to protect your investment. It takes constant upkeep and maintenance to ensure your home stays in excellent condition. One area that homeowners must pay attention to is infestations. One infestation type that can be particularly damaging is termites. The tiny insects like to eat wood and can easily damage the structure of your home. Learning how to spot termites and stop them before the issue gets out of hand is key to saving your home.

Do I Have Termites?

The first way to stop a major termite infestation is to be on alert. If you are inspecting your home on a regular basis, you can catch an infestation as it begins. However, termites can be hard to spot. They often burrow down into soil or other food sources that they tunnel through and are not seen by the homeowner.

To look for potential issues, review exposed wood in your home, including within the crawlspace. Do you see hollow spots? You can use a screwdriver or other similar tool to see if you can push through the wood. If there is a hollow spot inside, the screwdriver will go straight through. This is a sure sign that termites are chewing inside the wood of your home.

If you see swarms of insects, you might mistake them for ants. Termites and ants do look similar, but there are ways to tell the difference between the two. Termites have long wings that are usually equal in length on both sides. Their antennae are straight and may droop while they move.

Treatment

If you do find that you have a termite problem, action is needed to ensure that they are controlled and gone as quickly as possible. There are many options for treatment. One of the best solutions is to choose to work with a professional pest control company. Options like Rove Pest Control allow you to have a team that inspects your home, finds the termite problem and provides a solution. This can be the best option as there is no guessing game as to what will work.

With a DIY control situation, you will have to try certain treatment options to see if the termites are eliminated. There are chemical choices and baits, all of which are different and may or may not work. When you are inexperienced in handling a termite infestation, you are unsure as to which treatments will work. With a professional company, you have a team that knows what to do and how to act to remove the termites from your home.

Protect your home from a termite infestation before the problem gets out of hand. It is not uncommon for homeowners to have no idea that an issue exists and end up having major repair costs due to structural damage. Inspect your home regularly and even consider a professional inspection. Pest control experts know what to look for so that they can find a problem quickly and get to work solving the issue. Don’t delay in dealing with pests as it can create major issues in your home in the future.