Tips for Protecting Your Home Against Termites

Tips for Protecting Your Home Against Termites

August 26, 2020

One of the most potentially dangerous pests for any homeowner is the termite. When termites decide to take up residence in or around your home, it poses a danger to any wooden structural elements of your home, including wood in the walls, floors, furniture, ceiling, decks and anything else in your home that happens to be made out of wood. While securing the best termite treatment in Butte County, CA can help repair damage, the better option is to not have a termite problem in the first place.

The more and more termites eat away at a structure, the weaker it gets, which means it could lead to potential collapse. In some cases, the termite damage can become so severe that the home can be deemed uninhabitable by local inspectors. Believe it or not, one study showed termites result in nearly $30 billion of damage to homes and possessions every year across the 600,000 homes they’re estimated to impact.

This is why it’s so important to take immediate action to eliminate a termite problem as soon as you see evidence of termite presence.

Dealing with your termite problem

The best thing you can do as a homeowner when you notice you have a termite problem is call in a professional exterminator, who will be well versed in the best termite treatment options.

Consider this: a single termite colony can contain tens of thousands of termites on average, which together can rapidly eat up a piece of wood in mere months, and expand their damage much faster than when they focus on multiple areas of the home.

Some of the most common signs of termite activity include:

  • Hollow wood: Tap on wooden surfaces if you suspect termite damage. If it sounds hollow, this could be a sign that you’re dealing with a termite infestation.
  • Small holes in drywall: When termites eat through drywall, they make very small pinpoint holes. Spotting these holes is one of the first ways people notice termite infestations.
  • Buckling floor boards: If you’ve been having issues with floor boards buckling in your home, this could be a sign of termite damage.
  • Other wall issues: Some other common signs of termite damage that manifest themselves in walls include peeling paint (which may resemble water damage in some spots), discolored drywall or drooping drywall.
  • Mud tubes: Check around your home’s foundation. If you spot mud tubes, this could be a sign of termite activity.
  • Crumbling wood: This is obvious—if you see crumbling or damaged wood, or wood shavings left behind, this is a sign of termite activity.
  • Droppings: Termite pellets are often left behind in mounds that resemble salt or pepper.

When an exterminator arrives at your property, they will begin a full-scale inspection to look for these and other signs of termite damage. If they come across anything suspicious, they will be able to carefully examine the area to confirm the presence of termites. From there, they will be able to recommend the best termite treatment in Butte County, CA for your situation. You may be able to get away with some DIY methods of extermination, but when the problem is significant, expect to require more heavy-duty solutions.

For more information about dealing with termites, contact the team at Hobbs Pest Solutions today.

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