Dec 20, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
Dealing with a drywood termite infestation is less than ideal since these pests can cause significant structural damage to your Florida home. So how can you prevent termites from invading? It’s important to understand the characteristics of drywood termites, signs of their activity, and the preventative measures to place throughout your home, we break down all these below.
What to Know About Drywood Termites
Drywood termites have an oval-shaped waist, short legs, and a cream-white to light brown colored body. The size of these termites depends on their age, but usually range from ¼ inch to 1 inch long. Unlike their counterpart, the subterranean termite, drywood termites do not need soil to live. Instead, they excavate wood, living and nesting within wooden structures or dry wood, such as attic framings.
Signs of Termites
Since these termites live in the excavated wood, it can be difficult to spot and identify them. However, there are still termite signs you can look out for. Swarms of termites or discarded wings near windowsills or doors is an early indication that a colony has been established at your home. Likewise, spotting their droppings, or frass, is a telltale sign of a termite infestation. These droppings look like small mounds of tiny pellets.
Preventing Termites
Consider implementing these do-it-yourself termite control measures throughout your property to avoid a termite infestation:
- Keep lumber, wood, and mulch away from your foundation.
- Trim all shrubs, bushes, or other dense greenery so it doesn’t touch the side of your home.
- If you have old trees, lumber, or tree stumps, consider removing them.
- If you are utilizing firewood, store it at least 20 feet away from your home and elevated off the ground.
- Before bringing antique furniture or wooden furniture inside your home, make sure to thoroughly inspect it first.
- Inspect your home’s exterior for any openings leading inside and repair them as soon as possible.
- Keep your attic and crawlspace well-ventilated to help reduce moisture and other household pests.
If you’ve noticed drywood termites on your property or would like to get ahead of your termite prevention, contact your local Florida termite control company for more information. These professionals will provide you with a free inspection, a treatment plan based on your home’s needs, and recommendations on preventing termites in the future.
Jun 16, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
Living in South Florida can come with many perks, including lots of sunshine and beautiful ocean views. Unfortunately, it can also come with termites! These silent destroyers can cause significant damage to your home from the inside out. There are several treatment options out there to help keep termites under control, including the Sentricon Always Active® system. Here is more information on subterranean termites, along with ways to prevent and eliminate them.
What are Subterranean Termites?
Let’s talk about these stealthy troublemakers! Subterranean termites are the most common type of termite found in residential areas. They thrive in moist soil and create underground colonies, where they build intricate tunnel systems to access sources of food. Their damage can go unseen for years, hence the nickname, Silent Destroyers.
How to Prevent Subterranean Termites:
- Remove Moisture from Home: Subterranean termites love moisture, so keep an eye on areas prone to dampness, such as crawlspaces and basements. Ensure proper ventilation and address any leaks or water issues promptly. By eliminating excess moisture, you’re making your home less attractive to termites.
- Protect your Home’s Foundation: Keep some space between your home and the landscaping.
- Conduct Regular Inspections: In between your yearly termite inspection, you should be conducting one of your own. Here are the most prominent signs of subterranean termites in your home:
- Mud tubes or tunnels on walls
- Swarming termites and their discarded wings
- Wood damage, like hollow sounding wood, sagging or buckling floors, or warped paint
- Frass or termite droppings near wooden structures
When it comes to termite control for subterranean termites, Sentricon Always Active® baiting system stands out as a highly effective and eco-friendly solution. The stations are strategically placed around your property, forming a protective barrier.
Once termites find the bait, they take it back to their colony for complete elimination. Having Sentricon Always Active® installed for your home ensures continuous protection against subterranean termites, year-round. Our team of experts regularly monitor the bait systems, keeping the efficacy as accurate as possible.
By implementing simple prevention measures you can lessen the chances of these termites taking over. If you’re ready for the experts to get involved, give your local pest control company a call today for a FREE inspection!
May 25, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
South Florida Termite Control: Types of Termites
In South Florida, our warm, humid, and tropical weather is the perfect environment for termites to thrive. If these silent destroyers invade, their damage to your home or property can be devasting and could cost thousands of dollars in repairs. In Florida, there are two common types of termites that homeowners should be aware of: drywood termites and subterranean termites. To prevent these termites, it’s important to understand their differences and methods to keep them from infesting. Read more to learn about drywood termites and subterranean termites.
Common Termites in South Florida
Drywood Termites
- These termites are brown or white and are larger than subterranean termites.
- They live and nest within wooden structures or dry wood.
- They do not need contact with the soil to live.
- One of the most common signs of their infestation is spotting frass, which can appear in piles in the infestation and often looks like sawdust.
Subterranean Termites
- There are two kinds of subterranean termites, the solider and the alate or flying termites.
- These termites need a water source to survive and will live in the soil to get it.
- These termites build tunnels and nests underground to ensure it’s humid enough and where they can obtain water.
- A sign of their infestation is seeing mud tubes, a mixture of soil, wood, saliva, and feces.
- You can often spot mud tubes along a home’s foundation or floor joints inside a building.
Preventing Termites in South Florida
Preventing both types of termites is essential to protecting the structural integrity of your home. When preventing subterranean termites, look to eliminate any moisture problems from your property, including that your yard has good drainage, fixing leaky pipes, and removing items that can hold water like buckets or old tires. Likewise, make sure that you are being cautious of the areas where there is soil-to-structure contact. For drywood termites, keep firewood at least 20 feet from the home and elevated off the ground, and regularly inspect your deck or patio for signs of damage.
One of the best ways to ensure your home is termite free is to get regular termite inspections from your local termite control company. These professionals will be able to give your home a thorough inspection and recommend the best prevention plan to avoid future termite infestations.
May 9, 2023 | Termite Control
Summer is a wonderful time of year to enjoy outdoor activities, but it’s also the season when termites are most active. Termites are known for causing extensive damage to homes and properties, and they can quickly become a costly problem if left unchecked. To properly prepare for a termite-free summer, follow these termite control tips.
Conduct a Home Inspection
The first step in preparing for a termite-free summer is to conduct a thorough home inspection. Look for signs of termite activity, such as mud tubes, wings, and damaged wood. If you find any evidence of termites, contact a pest control professional immediately.
Eliminate Moisture Sources
Termites are attracted to moisture, so it’s important to eliminate any moisture sources in and around your home. Fix any leaks in your plumbing or air conditioning system, and make sure your gutters are clean and functioning properly.
Keep Wood Away from Your Home
Termites are attracted to wood, making it crucial to keep any wood or wood-based materials away from your home’s foundation. This includes firewood, lumber, and any wooden structures such as decks or fences.
Use Termite-Resistant Materials
When building or renovating your home, consider using termite-resistant materials such as concrete, metal, or pressure-treated lumber. These materials are less attractive to termites and can help prevent infestations.
Schedule Regular Pest Control Services
Regular termite control services are an essential part of preventing termite infestations. A termite control professional can help identify and eliminate any termite activity in and around your home, as well as provide preventative treatments to keep termites at bay.
Get ready for termite season by giving your local termite control company a call today!
Apr 21, 2023 | Termite Control
Termites can wreak havoc on your home, causing substantial and costly damage. These household pests are stealthy, often going undetected for long periods of time. Preventing termite damage is critical, and now is the time to get started.
Termites begin swarming in the South in early spring. So, if you don’t already have a termite control plan, now is the time to consider acquiring one. While swarming termites may not cause structural damage, they are an indication that a termite colony is active nearby. This might result in catastrophic structural damage to your property, resulting in repair expenses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Although spring and summer are peak swarming season, termites can be active year-round, especially in warmer climates like ours.
Termite Control
There are various techniques of termite management, and determining which one is best for your property can be difficult. After all, we’re talking about safeguarding one of your most valuable investments! Because termite damage isn’t usually covered by homeowners insurance, it’s imperative to not only get your property treated, but also to have a solid termite guarantee.
Treatment Options for Termites
If you understand how termites work, you could try your hand at DIY termite control. There are a variety of options available for this, ranging from simple liquid barrier treatments to termite baiting systems. If you have any slabs linked to your home or a basement, this can be a difficult task. To keep termites out, a liquid barrier must be comprehensive with no gaps.
Liquid Barrier Treatment
If you have active termites or damage, several pest control firms will offer a liquid treatment. This offers both immediate and long-term termite protection. Make sure your termite treatment comes with a decent warranty, especially one that covers termite re-treatments and any damage caused after treatment.
Borate Wood Treatment
This method of termite treatment is great if your home is still under construction. The wood structure is coated with borates, which are soil elements that provide long-term termite protection while also repelling common domestic pests.
Termite Bait Treament
Baiting systems have been shown to be efficient at eliminating entire termite colonies underground around your home, are less invasive than liquid treatments, are suitable for both new and existing structures, and typically come with a lifetime warranty. It is also the most environmentally friendly solution to defend your home from termites, as it eliminates the need for hundreds of gallons of chemicals. Monitoring devices are placed strategically around your property’s perimeter. The stations have a bait tube that termites are drawn to.
Termite Prevention:
- Keep mulch away from the perimeter of your home. Termites consume this as food.
- Keep any wood items away from your home. Termites can feed on firewood, crossties, and the building project you’ve been working on.
- Maintain your gutters. Termites thrive in damp environments, so keeping the ground surrounding your home dry is critical.
If you have a problem with termites or any other household pests, contact your local pest control company for an evaluation.
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