An important topic for homeowners: Termite Inspections!

Termite inspections are very important to do in a new house or even just every so often. Some signs that suggest you might have termites in your house include; buckling in your wood floors, discolored drywall, damaged/rotted wood, wood with visible holes in it, chipped or bubbling paint which can be mistaken for water damage, loose flooring, and the most obvious would be clusters of termite wings near doors and windows. To prepare for termite inspections, you should move items away from storage areas like attics and garages. Removing storage below sinks is helpful as well. 

The termite inspector will look for damaged or hollow wood, access points for termites, termite droppings or mud tubes, and cracks in the foundation or any other damage in the houses’ structure. Once the inspection is done, recommendations for termite treatment and protection will be provided. The types of termites you can have in your home are Dampwood termites that infest wood with high moisture content, Subterranean termites that build mud tubes, and Drywood termites that infest areas of dead or dry wood. Different types of treatment methods for termites include doing a structural fumigation, placing bait stations throughout the house, and termite insecticide. 

To prevent termites from coming back in the future, you can cover openings like vents outside of your house with steel mesh that termites can’t get through, repair plumbing leaks, point sprinkler heads away from the foundation to avoid moisture buildup, and use termite-resistant wood on structure like porches and decks. No matter where you live, termites can be a problem that you don’t know about until it’s too late. To lower the risk of bad infestations and damage, having yearly termite inspections is a good thing to do, even if there are no signs of termite activity.