3 Easy Ways to Tell You Have a Termite Infestation
Dealing with a termite infestation can be a huge headache for home or property owners, costing time and money that is not often covered by homeowner’s insurance. Termites are known to be difficult to eradicate, and cause billions of dollars worth of property damage to US homeowners. While a professional treatment is often the only recourse to truly treat a termite infestation, it is also helpful for owners to monitor their property for termite activity before these pests can do permanent, long-lasting damage.
At 520 Termite & Pest Solutions, we have decades of experience treating and preventing termites from destroying the properties of Valley residents. We are happy to provide you or your business a free estimate so that you can be equipped with the best course of action for your pest control issues. If you are starting to suspect that termites are living in your home, here are some easy ways to tell that these uninvited guests are impacting the structure of your property.
Buckling, Blistering or Hollow Wood Surfaces
As termites rely on wood and other natural materials as their primary food source, wood surfaces that sound or feel hollow or are visibly cracked or damaged are a telltale sign your property has a termite problem. Because termites burrow into wooden surfaces and then eat their way out, it can be difficult to spot, and typically when an owner notices their wood surfaces look hollow or damaged, termites have already done extensive damage within. Termites gravitate to the softer woods buildings often utilize as supports, so if you notice ceilings, floors or walls that are buckling or blistering in appearance, it is important to act fast.
Maze-like grooves found underneath the surface are also a giveaway of termite infestation – as they eat and tunnel, they leave behind grooves that further weaken the structural integrity of building materials. Because subterranean termites do most of their damage underneath these surfaces and very rarely actually emerge, it can be hard to know just what kind of damage they have done until a professional gets a look behind the surfaces of your home.
Stuck Windows and Doors
Another sign of termite activity is doors or windows that frequently stick or suddenly become much harder to open. While doors or window openings can become stiff or more difficult to open because of natural variations in the moisture and temperature of the air, they can also mean termites are at work. Termites create moisture when tunneling, and if their tunneling coincides with door or window frames in a home or building, the moisture they produce can warp the wood and prevent proper closure or opening.
Termites often prefer wood surfaces like window and door frames because they are easy to access and burrow into. While wood rot or humidity-related structural damage can be common and tough to treat, damage to windows or doors from termites is serious and requires professional intervention. Problems with doors and windows closing and sealing properly not due to natural weather or moisture patterns are an easy-to-spot symptom that a termite infestation is wreaking havoc on your home.
Mud Tubes and Termite Tunnels
Some of the most obvious examples that your home or property is host to termites are small, pencil-sized tunnels extending from the ceiling or other surfaces, as well as vein-like structures running up walls. Because termites thrive in moist conditions, these mud tubes can serve as a barrier for them to protect themselves from dry air. By constructing these tubes or tunnels, termites chart a course throughout your home to new food sources, ensuring a colony of termites can nest underground and travel safely to wood materials in your home they can forage on.
Unlike many other telltale signs of a termite infestation, mud tubes and tunnels are easier to spot and easier to diagnose if you have active termites – if you break off a piece of a mud tube and find later that it has been repaired, this is a clear sign of active termite activity. However, even if a mud tube or termite tunnel looks abandoned, the termites could have just as easily moved to another section of your property, so it is paramount to schedule a termite consultation as soon as you notice these tubes. While there are some easy symptoms to keep in mind if termites have made your home their new feeding ground, don’t delay in seeking professional help to mitigate damage before it gets worse.
Why choose us?
At 520 Termite and Pest Solutions, we have decades of experience servicing the pest control needs of Valley residential and commercial customers. As a family-owned company, we offer services without contracts, sign-up fees or long-term obligations because we are committed to providing exceptional, risk-free inspections and treatments.
Our expertly trained technicians receive ongoing training to ensure they stay up to date with the newest methods and technology, giving you the peace of mind that whenever you work with us you have access to the best and most advanced treatment options.
We service Tucson, Phoenix and many other parts of Southern Arizona, so if your property is experiencing issues with termites, rodents or other pests, don’t delay in seeking a solution. Contact us today for a free estimate!
