Termites are equal opportunity destructors. It doesn’t matter if you own a home or a business, these insects can be a threat. They don’t know the difference between a tree and a 2 x 4. And they certainly don’t know that your property belongs to you. They’re just doing what they were made to do: eat wood. And, if you’re not ready for them when they arrive at your doorstep, you could be in some serious financial trouble. So, whether you own residential or commercial property, here are some things you need to know about termites.
1. All Termites Are Not Created Equal
When it comes to destroying property in the United States, subterranean termites are the undisputed winners. Not only are they more destructive than carpenter ants, carpenter bees, wood boring beetles, and other bugs that chew on wood, they’re more damaging than all other types of termites combined. Subterranean termites cost U.S. property owners billions of dollars every year. The damage caused by drywood, dampwood, and other termites is in the hundreds of millions.
2. Termites Cost More Than Disasters
There are many disasters that can ruin your property. Some are natural, such as floods, tornadoes, forest fires, mudslides, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Some are accidental, such as internal fire and water damage. Termites are responsible for more damage to structures made from wood than all of these put together.
3. Termite Damage Is Not Covered
If you’re thinking termite damage will be covered by your insurance policy, you may want to read your policy again. Most insurance agencies do not cover termite damage. This isn’t because they don’t believe termites can harm your property. It is because they know that termite damage is preventable. In fact, they consider termite prevention part of a property owners maintenance responsibility. So good luck getting a penny out of them when you find that termites have destroyed the support structures of your structure.
4. Subterranean Termites Leave Signs
When these termites come up from the ground to feed on a man-made structure, they often create mud tubes on foundation walls. These mud tubes are usually established in moist, shaded, and hidden locations, and they have a shape that some describe as veins or lightning.
Winged termites, also called swarmers, are usually the first sign property owners see. This is the only type of termite that comes out into the air. If you see swarmers, be aware that they are a sign of a current, mature infestation, not usually a sign of an impending infestation. This is because termite swarms don’t last long or travel far. If you see tiny black insects with long white wings crawling around on your exterior walls, it is time to call a professional and schedule an inspection.
The appearance of termite damage, especially damage caused by subterranean termites, is a horrible way to discover termites. When these termites create damage that is visible, it is usually long after extensive damage has been done in places you can’t see.
5. Termite Prevention Is A Slippery Slope
A lot can go wrong when applying DIY termite control products. Often, these products cause more damage or lead to other problems. It is best to have an educated and certified termite control professional protect your equity.
Smart Termite Control You Can Trust
At Innovative Pest Control, we trust the Sentricon® System with Always Active
to protect both commercial and residential properties. Sentricon® with Always Active uses bait stations placed around the foundation perimeter of a structure to target termites and only termites. When termites find the bait (and they will because the bait has been scientifically proven to be more interesting to termites than wood) the active ingredient is passed from termite to termite. There is enough active ingredient in Sentricon® with Always Active to eliminate most colonies, that is why it has Always Active in the name. But, when termite pressures are high, our certified Sentricon® with Always Active technicians will add a more powerful Sentricon® bait that is sure to get the job done, no matter how big the threat.
If you own property in East Texas, let the termite control experts at Innovative Pest Control protect your investment from destructive termites with the Award-Winning Sentricon® with Always Active Reach out to us today to schedule termite control services for your home.
Categories:
- Termite Control,
- Termite Prevention,
- Home Pest Control,
- Termite Identification
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