Exterminators and Termite Inspection

So you are considering hiring an exterminator to deal with those nagging worries that you have with a termite infestation. Perhaps you are hearing chewing sounds in your walls or you have seen a winged ant in your home. Termites are destructive pests and are found in 49 out of the 50 states in the US. These pests costs about $50 billion worth of damage to homes and buildings every year.

Termites can cause a lot of damage to your home without you even knowing it. They will eat the wood from within and that’s why it is difficult to detect unless you know what you are looking for. From the outside, your home will look sturdy and solid under something collapses.

If you have your house checked every year or if you are doing the inspection yourself, you can spot a termite infestation before these critters do extensive damage to the foundation of your home. Termites Myrtle Beach work in secret especially in parts of your home that you seldom check. But that does not mean that they are infallible.

Termite Inspection Checklist

Signs of Swarmers

There are three types of termites in the U.S., but the most common one are the subterranean termites.

Here’s how termites start new colonies from an existing nest.

Existing colonies begin producing alates after a few years.
Alates fly off to make their own nests
Nests give off all their alateat a single time in swarms that spread quickly.

If you notice winged termites in your home, then you need to call an exterminator right away.

Mud Tubes

The presence of mud tubes is another obvious sign that will alert the exterminator that you may have a termite problem. They are commonly found near pipes, along the foundation, in the attic or crawlspace, as well as other access points. Mud tubes are also referred to as shelter tubes. They are made of wood cellulose, soil, and more.

Mud in Construction Joints

Termites are clever builders. They seal tiny openings with dirt so they could make themselves comfortable. If you don’t see any mud tubes, you may still have a termite problem if you notice crusted dirt in what was a small opening or crack before.

Wood In Your Landscape

Even though this is not a main sign of the presence of termites in your house, inspecting your home for features that could harbour termites would definitely be the on the checklist of the exterminator. The pest control specialist will look for:

Wood fencing near your house
Wood mulch between four to six inches of the foundation of your home.
Firewood
Deadwood
Wooden structures

Wood Damage

Termites are eating wood from inside your house and that means you won’t notice surface damage right away. You may observe dried mud tubes as well as some dabs of mud. An exterminator will tap a wood beam as well as detect a flat or low sound that will indicate that the wood is hollower than it is supposed to be.

During advanced stages of disintegration, you will notice tiny bits of mud within the wood that’s been damaged by termites. You will also see that its’ been excavating and that means there are deep and long parallel grooves. It’s because these pests love to eat the soft spring growth parts of the wood and they leave the hard wood sections. Such striations tell exterminators, like those from Zap Pest Control Inc. that there’s termite damage and not because of water damage or dry rot.