Sometimes it’s easy to tell that your home has a pest problem, like when you look down and see ants trailing across your kitchen floor, or when you keep finding cockroaches in your bathtub. Other times, pest problems are less noticeable. One of the hardest pests to discover is termites. These subterranean insects invade silently but cause a tremendous amount of damage when indoors. To help you spot these pests around your Anna property, here are some signs to keep your eyes out for.
Mud Tubes
When termites invade a home, they look for the easiest, most concealed way to get into structural wood. This usually involves crawling through a crack or gap found in the exterior foundation of a building. If your home’s foundation is properly sealed, these pests may build pencil-sized mud tubes to climb from soil to structural wood. This is the first and most obvious sign you should look for to identify a termite infestation.
Moisture Damage
As a termite infestation grows, a variety of damages will start to become apparent around your home. The majority of this damage is directly related to the moisture these pests spread as they tunnel through structural wood. Here are some of the most noticeable problems you might find while walking through your living areas.
- Overly squeaky floorboards
- Hard-to-open windows and doors
- Discolored sections of walls, ceilings, and floors
- Bubbling or ripping wallpaper/paint
- Sagging, moist drywall
If problems become more severe, you may start to notice visible tunnels running through structural wood. These tunnels may contain what appears to be white ants, which are actually worker termites.
Swarmers
Every termite colony goes through three phases: establishment, growth, and expansion. If colonies around your property are becoming mature, they will start producing what are called termite swarmers. These winged reproductive members are tasked with finding new places to build, breed, and feed. Where you see these flying wood-eaters says a lot about your home’s current risk. If you see swarmers outside looking in, then it means there is a fully mature colony nearby and that they are trying to figure out if your home is tasty. If you find swarmers indoors, however, it most likely means your home is currently under attack, as the only way they could have gotten inside is through holes made by other termites.
Six Ways To Prevent Termites
If you are not yet having trouble with termites inside your Anna home, it is not too late to put in place preventive measures to keep these pests away. To start, here are six exclusion tips our experts recommend:
- Repair structural wood that is water damaged, rotting, or in decay.
- Address moisture issues around your home and property.
- Fill in cracks and gaps in your home’s exterior foundation using a caulking gun.
- Eliminate organic debris such as sticks and leaves from your property.
- Store firewood at least 30 feet from your home’s exterior.
- Remove fallen trees and dead stumps from your yard.
The Absolute Best Way To Handle Termite Problems
Did you know that termite damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance? It’s true. Keeping how difficult termites are to discover in mind, we highly recommend investing in professional termite control in Anna, TX to manage these invasive insects around your property. At EcoArmor Pest Defense, we offer a range of plans to help you keep these destructive pests off your property.
Call us today to find a pest control option that suits your Anna home’s unique needs and get the protection from termites you deserve.
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