Think You Have Termites? How To Know For Sure And Treatment Options

17 February 2023
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If you think you have termites in your home, you need to make sure first before you contact a pest control company. There are many ways to do this. If you do determine that you have termites, below are treatments that may be used to get them away from your home. 

Signs of Termites

It can be difficult to see termites. This is because they often create mud tubes on your foundation that lead from their home in the soil. This way they can go directly from the soil through the mud tube and into your home without having to emerge from their nest. 

You can determine if you have termites by seeing these mud tubes. You should also use a tool to knock on different areas of wood in your home, such as on walls. If it sounds hollow when you do so you may have termites. Look outside if you have wood, such as a wood pile, to see if there are signs of termites eating. There are also flying termites that come out of the nest to mate. Once they mate, the female goes back to the nest to lay her eggs. You will often see these swarms near the foundation of your home as they stay close to the nest. 

If you find that you do have termites, contact a pest control company immediately. These insects can cause a lot of structural damage to your home over time. 

Termite Treatment

The pest control company may use different types of treatments to get the termites out. Chemical treatments are often used which are often called termiticides. This termiticide may be applied to the soil around the perimeter of your home to kill the termites in their nests They will also remove the mud tubes by hand. They may spray the termiticide inside your home if they can determine where the termites are entering. 

Termite baits may also be used to remove the termites. The baits are made of cellulose, which is much like wood that termites are drawn to. Insecticide is also combined with the cellulose. When the termites eat, they will not only eat the cellulose but also the insecticide, which they take back to their nests. The baits stay in place for a few weeks to completely kill all termites. 

A termite control company can give you much more information about these and other termite treatments available. They can also give you tips on how to prevent future termite problems.