However, when it comes to pests that haunt homeowners’ nightmares, termites take the top spot. These tiny, clandestine insects can colonize structures for years without detection, destroying wooden support frames with ease if left undisturbed. Older homes are especially vulnerable since they’re often not constructed with termite-resistant materials. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to keep these destructive invaders out of your Oklahoma City home. Let’s discuss how you can avoid thousands of dollars worth of damage to your valuable property.
Signs Of Termite Infestation
Termites are major homebodies. Conveniently enough for them, they eat wood and live in wood. That means, unlike other colonizing insects like ants or bees, termites don’t have to leave their nests in search of food. Thus, they can go for months or even years without detection. Most of the signs of termites don’t involve actually seeing a termite; most termite signs are more about the damage they do. Signs of termites include:
- Pinholes in drywall
- Frass – termite droppings and sawdust – near walls and floorboards
- Hollow sounding walls
- Scratching or clicking noises inside walls
- Visible tunnels in wood
- Warped floors, walls, or ceilings
- Windows or doors that don’t fit
- Piles of white, veiny wings scattered around your home
The one time you may see an actual termite is during their breeding activities. Mature colonies send out winged reproductive adults (called alates) whose job it is to mate and found new colonies where they’ll serve as the new king and queen. If you see a large swarm of dark-colored insects that almost look like large ants with long, white wings, you’re likely seeing a termite swarm. One of the biggest issues with seeing this sign of an infestation is that only mature colonies send out alates. That means if you’re seeing a swarm, you could have had a termite infestation wreaking havoc inside your walls for up to several years. This is why it’s vital to have a yearly termite inspection, as a professional inspection can catch signs of a problem early enough to prevent significant damage.
What To Do About Termites
Termite prevention is essential to protect your home from significant damage. In addition to your yearly inspection, you can take precautions like:
- Reduce excess moisture around your house – use dehumidifiers and fix moisture issues like leaky pipes, especially ones that damage wood.
- Remove and replace all water-damaged or rotting wood in your home.
- Seal cracks and holes in your home’s foundation and siding to help reduce termite access points.
- Get rid of wood debris around your property, such as rotten logs, fallen tree branches, etc.
- Keep a barrier of at least six inches between your home’s foundation/siding and any mulch products.
- Call the experts.
Termites are very difficult to get rid of due to the immense size and complexity of their nests. You’re more likely to cause the colony to disperse than kill it off using over-the-counter (OTC) methods. That means you’ll need professional help. Here at Guaranteed Pest Service of Oklahoma, we always stay on top of the latest and greatest termite termination methods so we can ensure that when we come to your home, we get every last termite and set you up to never have another infestation. So give us a call at (405) 873-6692 or visit our contact page to schedule your guaranteed service.
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