Jan 27, 2023 | Florida Pest Control, Termite Control
South Florida Termite Control: Eliminating Drywood Termites
Drywood termites are seeking dry wood as a food source and will destroy your home in the process. These termites differ from other species, such as subterranean termites, since they tend to create their colonies in wood instead of in the ground and need little moisture to survive. Unlike other species, these termites can create devasting damage to homes, excavating wood and ruining it. To prevent them, it’s best to place preventative measures throughout your property.
Inspect Your Home
The first step in preventing drywood termites is inspecting your home. By investigating your home, you can get a good idea of what repairs are needed or discover that a termite infestation has occurred. When inspecting, write down everything you see that’s a concern, as this will help overall when relaying to a pest professional. When checking the home’s interior, don’t forget to check in darker areas such as your crawl space, attic, and basements. Check around your baseboards, beams, or other wood materials. Likewise, look at any furniture or firewood inside the home too. As you are investigating the exterior of your home, be extra thorough, as these termites haven’t yet entered the home. Check your foundation, old trees, wooden sheds, and firewood.
Seal & Vent
Drywood termites are very small, ranging from 3/8 to ½ inch in length, allowing them to fit in the smallest hole or gap. If you find any openings leading into your home, it’s best to repair them immediately. Likewise, keeping your home’s attic and crawlspace well ventilated will help reduce moisture and the risk of a termite infestation. Consider encapsulating your crawlspace or insulating your attic.
Keep Your Yard Maintained
Drywood termites are looking for any wood materials to inhabit. Make sure you place firewood at least 20 feet away from the home and raise it off the ground. Additionally, trim all shrubs, bushes, or other dense greenery so that it doesn’t touch the side of your home. If you have old trees, lumber, or tree stumps, consider removing them, so these pests don’t infest and make their way inside your home.
Call a Professional
Sometimes, all the prevention in the world can’t stop termites from infesting homes. If a termite infestation has occurred, it’s best to call your local South Florida pest control company for extra help. A termite professional will provide you with a thorough inspection, a treatment plan based on your home’s needs, and recommendations on preventing them in the future.
Jan 5, 2023 | Termite Control
The new year has begun and although the weather is chilly now, the luxuries of living in the south typically means that warmer weather appears sooner than later. This means that termite swarming season is just around the corner, with the earliest swarms beginning in February. Let’s break down what to expect this swarming season.
What are Swarming Termites?
Termite swarmers, often mistaken for winged ants, are most active during the spring months, when they fly away from their colony to reproduce. These swarmers are attracted to bright, light areas often seen around doors and windows in homes. Fortunately, they don’t cause wood damage, but seeing a group of them around your property typically means a colony is nearby.
Which Species Do I Need to Lookout For?
The southeastern region of the United States is home to a variety of termites, including the subterranean, drywood, and Formosan species. Subterranean is the most common type of termite found in the southeast. They live underground in colonies that can get up to two million members. They are also known to be found in moist, secluded areas above ground. With their hard, saw-toothed jaws that work like shears, they are known to cause significant damage to properties.
Termite Prevention Tips:
- Eliminate Moisture: Repair leaky faucets, don’t let water pool near foundations, keep gutters clear, and use downspouts to divert water away from your home.
- Maintain Landscape: Don’t let anything touch the exterior surfaces of your home (mulch & woodpiles), removing old tree stumps, and keeping shrubbery and tree limbs trimmed back away from your home.
- Repair Home: Replace broken tiles, shingles, etc. on your roof and exposed beams in attics are a great food source and access point into your home.
If you suspect termite swarming activity or just want to get a step ahead at termite prevention, contact your local pest control company and schedule your free inspection.
Aug 23, 2022 | Florida Pest Control, Termite Control
South Florida Termite Control: Drywood Termites
Drywood termites seek dry wood as a food source and will destroy your home in the process. These termites differ from other species, such as subterranean termites, since they tend to create their colonies in wood, instead of in the ground, and need little moisture to survive. Unlike other species, these termites can create devasting damage to homes, excavating wood and ruining it. To prevent them, it’s best to place preventative measures throughout your property.
Inspect Your Home
The first step in preventing drywood termites is inspecting your home. By examining your home, you can get a good idea of what repairs are needed or discover that a termite infestation has established. When inspecting, write down everything you see that’s a concern; this will help overall when relaying to a pest professional. When checking the home’s interior, don’t forget to check in darker areas such as your crawl space, attic, and basements. Check around your baseboards, beams, or other wood materials. Likewise, look at any furniture or firewood inside the home too. As you are investigating the exterior of your home, be extra thorough, as these termites haven’t entered the home yet. Check your foundation, old trees, wooden sheds, and firewood.
Seal & Vent
Drywood termites are very small, ranging from 3/8 to ½ inch in length, allowing them to fit in the smallest hole or gap. If you find any openings leading into your home, it’s best to repair them immediately. Likewise, keeping your home’s attic and crawlspace well ventilated will help reduce moisture and the risk of a termite infestation. Consider encapsulating your crawlspace or insulating your attic.
Keep Your Yard Maintained
Drywood termites are looking for any wood materials to inhabit. Make sure you place firewood at least 20 feet away from the home and raise it off the ground. Additionally, trim all shrubs, bushes, or other dense greenery so that it doesn’t touch the side of your home. If you have old trees, lumber, or tree stumps, consider removing them so these pests don’t infest and make their way inside your home.
Call a Professional
Sometimes all the prevention in the world can’t stop termites from infesting homes. If a termite infestation has occurred, it’s best to call your local South Florida pest control company for extra help. A termite professional will provide you with a thorough termite inspection, a termite control plan based on your home’s needs, and recommendations on preventing them in the future.
Jul 28, 2022 | Florida Pest Control, Termite Control
South Florida Termite Control: What’s Attracting Termites
Hot and humid, South Florida is the perfect habitat for termites! These pests cause significant damage to our homes and cost us millions in repairs, making them one of the most feared insects by homeowners. Knowing how to tell if your house has termites is the first step in eliminating them or being on top of preventing them.
Common Termites in Florida
Since Florida hosts a variety of climates, there are many species found in our state. In South Florida, the two most common termites found are drywood and Formosan (subterranean) termites. Drywood termites are known to inhabit sound wood, often infesting wood furniture. Formosan or subterranean termites need soil to live and create mud tubes to look for a food source above the surface, invading the foundation of homes.
What Attracts Termites?
We know that all termites are attracted to wood, but each species has their preference. Subterranean termites aren’t as picky about the type of wood and will eat the most common types found in homes, such as pine and oak. However, drywood termites prefer to avoid soil and will eat hardwood floors or wood found in your home’s structural framing.
Firewood and mulch are two major attractants to termites and provide an entry point inside a home. When storing firewood, make sure it is at least 20 feet away from the home’s foundation. Mulch can retain moisture, making it essential to keep it at least 18 inches away from your foundation.
Having unnecessary moisture around the home can create conditions beneficial to termites. Eliminating excess moisture inside and outside is essential in preventing termites. Make sure your yard is dry by sealing any leaks, repairing AC units, and regularly cleaning gutters to divert rainwater away. Consider enclosing your crawlspace to reduce moisture, decrease humidity, and prevent mold and wood rot.
Termite Infestation Signs
There are several signs that a homeowner can look out for when determining a termite infestation, including:
- Soft wood that sounds hollow when tapped
- Finding mud tubes on the exterior of the home
- Cracked or bubbling paint
- Damage around the home, such as your fence, porch, patio, or deck
- Discarded wings near doors or windowsills, indicating swarmers
If you suspect that you have termites in your home, contact your local South Florida pest control company. These professionals will inspect your home and provide a termite treatment and prevention plan.
Jun 28, 2022 | Florida Pest Control, Termite Control
South Florida Termite Control
Termites cause serious and severe damage to homes, destroying the structure and integrity. The damage termites cause can be very expensive to repair, making it essential for every homeowner to recognize termite types and the prevention methods for each.
Types of Termites
There are two main termite species in the South Florida area that can pose a major threat to your home, subterranean and drywood termites. Subterranean termites typically swarm in the spring but have been known to swarm at any time of the year. These termites live in colonies underground but will go above ground to retrieve food by building tunnels called mud tubes. In order to survive, they need moisture. You can find these termites in baseboards, inside crawl spaces, wooden beams, and more.
Drywood termites are social insects that also live in colonies. However, they create their colonies in wood, with no needed connection to the ground. While subterranean termites need moisture, drywood termites do not. You can find these termites in furniture, banisters, hardwood floors, and more.
Preventing Termites
Taking the time to place do-it-yourself preventative measures throughout your home is a great way to get a head start on termite control. You can prevent termites by:
- Fixing any leaks throughout the home.
- Avoiding landscaping, such as mulch, too close to the foundation of the home.
- Placing firewood or wood debris at least 10 feet away from the home.
- Reducing all openings that allow termites access by filling gaps and cracks around the foundations.
- Getting an annual termite inspection from a South Florida exterminator.
If you suspect you have a termite problem or want to get ahead of termite control, contact our local office for termite control near you, who can provide you with a free termite inspection.
