1. Purchase A Termite Control Plan
Termites can invade your home and feed on your wood for weeks or months before you even realize it. By the time you notice swarms of termites, they could already have done thousands of dollars in damages. You will likely have to pay this money out-of-pocket since most homeowners’ insurance plans do not cover termite damages. It’s best to purchase a termite plan to safeguard your home against termites. When you purchase a termite control plan from Arete Pest Control, we will use our termite product to create a barrier around your home to keep termites out.
2. Keep Up With Home Repairs
If you have loose roof shingles, soffits, or fascia, termites have easy access to your home. You should make sure that any holes, cracks, or loose shingles are repaired promptly. Keeping your home in good shape helps create the proper barriers to keep termites out of your structure. When you purchase our termite plan, our technician will give you tips on what you can do to prevent future termite infestations.
3. Don’t Let Water Pool Up Around Your Home
Termites need moisture to survive. If you have a leaky roof, repair it immediately. If you have leaking pipes or faucets in your structure, repair those, too. You should even check your outside faucets to ensure they aren’t leaking either. The water around your structure or in your basement will entice termites, too. Make sure that rainwater and runoff don’t drain into any ditches or trenches against or around your house. Keep rain gutters and downspouts clear so that water isn’t trapped in them.
4. Inspect All Of Your Wood Surfaces
Some people believe termites will only attack trees and wood surfaces on your structure. However, termites will eat any wood products. If you have furniture in a room infested with termites, your furniture could be infested, too. Look for cracks in wood furniture or bubbling paint on your wood furniture. Piles of cardboard boxes in your attic, basement or garage can also attract termites. If you have gazebos, sheds or decks on your property, check those for termite damage too. Signs of termite damage include pinholes in wood, buckling wood or crumbling wood.
5. Be Aware Of What Termites Look Like
Termites can range in color from creamy white to nearly black. Swarming termites have wings and will fly away from the colony to form a new colony. Keep in mind that termites can vary widely when it comes to their appearance. Some of them are tiny and white like maggots while others are darker and look like carpenter ants. If you’re unsure that what you’re seeing are termites, call in an expert. Our technicians at Arete Pest Control are skilled at identifying, finding, and removing these pests.
6. Listen For Termites
Termites make rustling, rattling or clicking sounds as they travel through wood and eat wood. If you put your ear to a termite-infested wall, you will likely hear the termites moving within the wall. Because termites eat wood from the inside out, a termite-infested wall will sound hollow when you tap it, especially if your infestation is advanced and termites have had the time to do significant damage to your walls. If you think you hear termites, call Arete Pest Control. We will inspect your home and advise you based on what we find.
7. Get A Termite Letter
If you’re purchasing a new home, be sure that you have it inspected for termites before you purchase it. To get a termite letter, contact a professional pest control company licensed in your state. A termite technician will come out to the home and inspect it for you. If you don’t have termites, they will give you an official termite letter stating that the home was termite-free at the time of inspection. If the home has termites, the technician will document this in the termite letter. The letter will document where the termites are located and what types of damages have been done by the termites. Then, you can decide if you still want to purchase the home or not. Some buyers will still buy a home infested with termites and negotiate a cheaper home price. Then, they let the termite company get rid of the termites. If you need a termite letter, contact us at Arete Pest Control. We are certified to write termite letters and exterminate these pests for you.
8. Know The Telltale Signs Of A Termite Infestation
Termites tend to leave piles of wings behind when they swarm. You will find these wings piled up around your home, usually on floors or around windowsills. Termites also tend to leave mud tubes on the walls of your structure. Not all termites make mud tubes. However, some termites create these tubes from pieces of wood and soil, and they leave these tubes piled up around your home. The tubes are about as wide as a pencil, and they are usually brown like dirt. If you notice piles of wings or mud tubes around your property, call Arete Pest Control. We will solve your termite problem.