When insects and creatures are around your North Texas home or business, you won’t always know it. This is usually the situation with wood-destroying pests, like termites. Given that they typically crawl down in the soil or stay behind walls, you may not see evidence of termite damage until later on, when things have gotten dismal.
Every year, Americans spend a sum of five billion dollars on termite treatments and deterrence avenues. Sadly, insurance companies don’t offer relevant support. With all of this in mind, it’s crucial that you find out what you can about these bugs. Learn what the signs of termites inside your house are and how you can combat them. Adams Exterminating Company can help.
Signs Of A Termite Infestation In North Texas
A termite colony on your North Texas property will consist of workers, soldiers, and swarmers. Each looks different, depending on the subspecies. By and large, workers in this region are white or grayish-white and 0.12 of an inch long. Using their thickset mandibles, soldiers will protect them. These yellow-brown insects have rectangular heads as well. Swarmers are black, yellow, or brown and ½ of an inch long.
This set of bugs will flutter off to mate and form another colony upon a nest full of active termites. Fixtures and windowsills may be saturated with swarmers because the light pulls them in. Sightings are a symptom of infestation. Further signs of termites inside your house are:
- Discovering the scaly, discarded wings of swarmers
- Finding mountains of fecal frass by the maze patterns, mud tubes, and holes of termites
- Having hollow-sounding walls
- Hearing rustling noises from behind walls
- Noticing that paint is stripping and bloating
- Off-color and flabby drywall
- Loosening tiles and frail floorboards
- Window frames and doors that are tight-fitting
When termites take wood apart, the ground receives the essential nutrients needed to enhance the growth of trees and plants. These pests are also used as a delicacy for various cultures around the world. Any positive contributions stop there.
Active termites cause bases and walls to deteriorate to the point of a possible collapse. If there’s an injury or you have to relocate, the financial costs to recover can be very high. In the least, you or someone else may experience an allergic reaction after being exposed to termite populations. However, these critters aren’t known to cultivate disease.
How Do I Keep Termites Away From My North Texas Property?
A termite colony on your North Texas property can develop quickly. You have to stick with preventative measures throughout the year if you want to dodge these bugs. It could be too late if you wait to see evidence of termite damage before taking action. Perform these tasks:
- Remove or refurbish wood that is ruined or decaying.
- Have leaks and moisture problems repaired as soon as possible, especially those dampening the wood.
- Seal openings in caulk, foundations, and utility lines.
- Attach screens on all exterior doors.
- Swill out vents and gutters regularly.
- Distance wood stacks and plants from the property by at least two feet.
- Don’t let loose wood, such as carpentry panels, touch the soil.
- Trim grass and greenery on a routine basis.
- Have Adams Exterminating Company do annual inspections.
What To Do If Your Home Is Infested With Termites
Retail insecticides and “do it yourself” tactics for termites have shortcomings. They’re too weak to handle infestations, but they can still be dangerous to employ. Not to mention, these items can be pretty expensive. We at Adams Exterminating Company have industrial-grade termite treatments that are safe. Some of our solutions are Sentricon® System with Always Active™ bait stations and ongoing monitoring. Warranties are available. Get a free estimate when you call today!