While it’s safe to assume that you probably want to keep all pests out of your Austin home, one pest that you should really want to keep out is the termite. That’s because termites are extremely destructive pests. In fact, termites cause over five billion dollars’ worth of damage per year in the United States. That’s why being proactive about termite prevention is key to keeping your Austin home safe from these destructive pests. Homeowners shouldn’t stop at just taking the proper preventative measures. It is equally important to know what a termite infestation in a home looks like. That way, should your home become infested with termites, you can identify the infestation and act quickly to remedy the problem.
Termite Need-To-Knows
Termites are small, ant-like insects that feed on the cellulose found in wood. They can be pale yellow, brown, or black in color, and some of them have wings. Termites live in colonies that are divided into three castes. These castes include workers, soldiers, and reproductives who have wings. While the workers and soldiers and tasked with gathering food for the colony and protecting the colony, respectively, the reproductives are charged with setting out to create new colonies in a process called a termite swarm.
Unless it is during a termite swarm, you are not likely to ever spot an actual termite in your home. This is because the workers and soldiers tend to remain within their nest or the wood that they are eating. Many people are unaware that they have an infestation until it is too late, and the damage is done. Termites will eat structural wood, siding, flooring, baseboards, and even wooden furniture or antiques.
Three Signs Of A Termite Infestation
Because you are not likely to spot a termite in your home even if it is infested, you need to know the other signs you can look for to determine if your home is infested with termites. These include:
Tight-fitting windows and doors.
Soft-clicking noises coming from within the walls.
The appearance of frass on the surfaces of your home.
If you spot any of the signs of a termite infestation, contact the professionals here at Roberts Termite & Pest Control right away.
Termite Prevention Tips
If you do not spot any of the tell-tale signs of a termite infestation in your Austin home, there are still steps you can take to keep your home protected from future infestations. These include:
Partner with the professionals at Roberts Termite & Pest Control for ongoing termite prevention.
Remove or replace any rotting or moisture-damaged wood in your home.
Use dehumidifiers to alleviate any moisture buildup in your home, especially in areas that are not well-ventilated.
Fix any leaky pipes or fixtures, and ensure all gutters are free of debris and clog to prevent flooding.
Limit the wood-to-soil contact around your home by creating gravel or concrete barriers between the soil and the exterior of your home and around deck posts and other wooden objects.
Keep woodpiles away from the exterior of your home.
Effective Termite Control For Your Austin Property
If your Austin home becomes infested with termites, don’t waste your time and money on ineffective DIY termite treatments. Instead, contact us here Roberts Termite & Pest Control, and let us take care of the problem for you. Not only will we effectively eliminate any termites infesting your home, but with our ongoing treatment plans, we will ensure your home stays termite-free in the future, as well. So, don’t wait until the damage is done. Give us a call right away.