Dec 20, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
Dealing with a drywood termite infestation is less than ideal since these pests can cause significant structural damage to your Florida home. So how can you prevent termites from invading? It’s important to understand the characteristics of drywood termites, signs of their activity, and the preventative measures to place throughout your home, we break down all these below.
What to Know About Drywood Termites
Drywood termites have an oval-shaped waist, short legs, and a cream-white to light brown colored body. The size of these termites depends on their age, but usually range from ¼ inch to 1 inch long. Unlike their counterpart, the subterranean termite, drywood termites do not need soil to live. Instead, they excavate wood, living and nesting within wooden structures or dry wood, such as attic framings.
Signs of Termites
Since these termites live in the excavated wood, it can be difficult to spot and identify them. However, there are still termite signs you can look out for. Swarms of termites or discarded wings near windowsills or doors is an early indication that a colony has been established at your home. Likewise, spotting their droppings, or frass, is a telltale sign of a termite infestation. These droppings look like small mounds of tiny pellets.
Preventing Termites
Consider implementing these do-it-yourself termite control measures throughout your property to avoid a termite infestation:
- Keep lumber, wood, and mulch away from your foundation.
- Trim all shrubs, bushes, or other dense greenery so it doesn’t touch the side of your home.
- If you have old trees, lumber, or tree stumps, consider removing them.
- If you are utilizing firewood, store it at least 20 feet away from your home and elevated off the ground.
- Before bringing antique furniture or wooden furniture inside your home, make sure to thoroughly inspect it first.
- Inspect your home’s exterior for any openings leading inside and repair them as soon as possible.
- Keep your attic and crawlspace well-ventilated to help reduce moisture and other household pests.
If you’ve noticed drywood termites on your property or would like to get ahead of your termite prevention, contact your local Florida termite control company for more information. These professionals will provide you with a free inspection, a treatment plan based on your home’s needs, and recommendations on preventing termites in the future.
Oct 27, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
Subterranean termites eat wood from the inside out, often hiding and going undetected until severe damage is done. These termites will often infest homes by entering through stucco, slab foundation, and other hidden areas with access to the structure. The best way to prevent these termites is to understand their signs of infestation so you can begin to eliminate them early before the infestation gets out of hand.
Termite Signs in Homes
Here are 5 signs of subterranean termites in homes:
- Swarms: An early sign that subterraneans are in your home is spotting termite swarms in your neighborhood. These swarms can sometimes be confused with flying ants. Swarms will typically emerge in the spring or early summer to reproduce and establish a new colony. If you see these swarms, it’s a good indicator that a colony is looking for a new place to build their nest.
- Mud Tubes: Subterranean termites build mud tubes to travel back and forth between your home and their nest. You’ll find these on walls, ceilings, floors, exterior surfaces, on the sides of slabs, and are usually the size of a pencil. These tubes help protect them from damage and predators, also allowing them to accumulate moisture to survive.
- Noises: While it can be difficult to hear termite noises, it is possible! If a colony is large and established, you could hear a faint clicking or knocking sound behind your wall or in other voids. This noise is the sounds soldier termites make when they are banging their heads against wood or vibrating their bodies to indicate to the rest of their colony that there is danger.
- Hollow Wood: If you tap on wooden surfaces of your home and hear a hollow or paper sound instead of a solid thud, this is a sign that a termite colony could be established. Additionally, if you spot blistering or bubbling paint, especially near the window and door trim, could be another indication termites are inside.
- Wood Damage: Floor, door, and window damage can indicate that termites have infested. Typical termite wood damage includes floors that buckle or sag and difficulty closing doors or windows.
Consider Termite Treatments
If you notice any of the above signs in your Florida home, it’s best to contact your local termite control company as soon as possible. These professionals will thoroughly inspect your home, provide you with a termite treatment plan for the existing termite colony, and recommend the best prevention plan moving forward to avoid another infestation.
Oct 10, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
Termite Control Oakland Park
Once termites have infested your Florida home, it’s hard to stop their damage. Both drywood and subterranean termites can wreak havoc, often going undetected for long periods of time, with repairs costing thousands of dollars. The best way to avoid termite damage is investing in termite control. Check out some termite control options for your Oakland Park home.
Termite Treatment Options in Florida
Bait Stations
Bait stations, including the Sentricon Always Active Station, are installed by a pest professional and placed at the perimeter of your home to eliminate subterranean termites. The bait stations provide termites with a food source, which contains a slow-acting termiticide treatment that termites will take back to their colony, eventually eliminating it. A bait station is great to utilize where surface treatments cannot be used, including near foundation drains and areas covered by slabs or flooring. This option is a long-termite preventative solution to avoid termite infestations.
Liquid Termite Defense
Liquid termite treatments are a great way to combat subterranean termites and their colonies. This treatment option is a great way to prevent termites from invading your home. The treatment requires a pest control company to dig a trench around the perimeter of your foundation. Once the trench is dug, a termiticide is injected in the proper intervals. The treatment utilized isn’t instant to give enough time for termites to bring it back to the queen and ultimately eliminate the entire colony at hand.
No-Tent Termite Treatment
The no-tent termite treatment option is best used when drywood termites have infested your home. This option is a great alternative to tent fumigation when you’re not able to vacate the home for treatment. A no-tent termite solution utilizes a non-repellent product into drywood termite galleries to eliminate the termites found in your home. The treatment is slow acting to allow the termites who have come in contact with the product to take it back to the queen and colony to eliminate it.
Dealing with a termite infestation is less than ideal so it’s important to understand preventative measures that you can keep in mind and place throughout your home to avoid their infestation.
DIY termite control tips:
- Reduce openings that offer access to termites by filling cracks in cement foundations or around gaps where utilities enter the home with cement, caulk, or grout.
- Eliminate sources of water, including fixing leaks found inside or outside of your home immediately
- Repair and close any entry points that are leading into your home
- Keep your attic and crawlspace well-ventilated to help reduce moisture; consider utilizing a dehumidifier.
- Remove old trees, lumber, or tree stumps found throughout your property
- Contact your local pest control company to provide you with a thorough termite inspection and the best termite control plan based on your home’s needs.
Jul 27, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
Florida is notorious for its termite problem, and drywood termites are a common termite species found in homes. These pests can cause considerable damage to our homes, leading to costly repairs. It’s important for homeowners to understand the methods of preventing termites from invading their homes. Check out common tips Florida homeowners can utilize to prevent a drywood termite infestation.
Seal Cracks and Gaps
Drywood termites are extremely small, typically ranging from 3/8 in length, but termite soldiers and workers can be even smaller. These pests can easily enter your home through the tiniest crack or gap. It’s important to inspect your home for any openings, including around doors and windows, and even the areas around your utility pipes. Make sure to seal them up with caulk or another appropriate sealant as soon as possible. For areas in your home that must be left open, consider using mesh screens to cover them.
Inspect Wood Furniture & Materials
Drywood termites can easily infest lumber, firewood, and wood furniture. Before bringing any of these items inside your home, it’s essential to inspect them first. Drywood termites will also infest furniture, including old pieces of antique furniture and built-in cabinets utilizing second-hand furniture.
Turn Off Lights at Night
Swarmers, or flying termites, are attracted to light sources, making it essential to eliminate them, especially at night. Particularly, drywood termite swarms like to surround light bulbs and lamps during their flight. At night, look to minimize light sources by turning them off and keeping your windows and curtains closed to avoid attracting them. Consider replacing the porch and floor lights with insect-resistant yellow bulbs to help repel them or motion sensor lighting around your home.
Regularly Inspect Your Home
Regular inspections can help you catch any signs of a drywood termite infestation early, so it’s important to recognize their signs. Inspect your home for small holes in wood, piles of droppings, or wings shed by the termites. If you notice any of these signs, it’s best to call a professional for help immediately.
Hire a Professional Pest Control Company
Sometimes, the best way to prevent a drywood termite infestation is to consider hiring your local professional pest control company to inspect your home regularly, treat any existing infestations, and provide a prevention plan to avoid a future infestation. These professionals will have the knowledge, experience, and tools necessary to detect and eliminate these pests effectively.
Jun 16, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
Living in South Florida can come with many perks, including lots of sunshine and beautiful ocean views. Unfortunately, it can also come with termites! These silent destroyers can cause significant damage to your home from the inside out. There are several treatment options out there to help keep termites under control, including the Sentricon Always Active® system. Here is more information on subterranean termites, along with ways to prevent and eliminate them.
What are Subterranean Termites?
Let’s talk about these stealthy troublemakers! Subterranean termites are the most common type of termite found in residential areas. They thrive in moist soil and create underground colonies, where they build intricate tunnel systems to access sources of food. Their damage can go unseen for years, hence the nickname, Silent Destroyers.
How to Prevent Subterranean Termites:
- Remove Moisture from Home: Subterranean termites love moisture, so keep an eye on areas prone to dampness, such as crawlspaces and basements. Ensure proper ventilation and address any leaks or water issues promptly. By eliminating excess moisture, you’re making your home less attractive to termites.
- Protect your Home’s Foundation: Keep some space between your home and the landscaping.
- Conduct Regular Inspections: In between your yearly termite inspection, you should be conducting one of your own. Here are the most prominent signs of subterranean termites in your home:
- Mud tubes or tunnels on walls
- Swarming termites and their discarded wings
- Wood damage, like hollow sounding wood, sagging or buckling floors, or warped paint
- Frass or termite droppings near wooden structures
When it comes to termite control for subterranean termites, Sentricon Always Active® baiting system stands out as a highly effective and eco-friendly solution. The stations are strategically placed around your property, forming a protective barrier.
Once termites find the bait, they take it back to their colony for complete elimination. Having Sentricon Always Active® installed for your home ensures continuous protection against subterranean termites, year-round. Our team of experts regularly monitor the bait systems, keeping the efficacy as accurate as possible.
By implementing simple prevention measures you can lessen the chances of these termites taking over. If you’re ready for the experts to get involved, give your local pest control company a call today for a FREE inspection!
May 25, 2023 | Florida Termite Control
South Florida Termite Control: Types of Termites
In South Florida, our warm, humid, and tropical weather is the perfect environment for termites to thrive. If these silent destroyers invade, their damage to your home or property can be devasting and could cost thousands of dollars in repairs. In Florida, there are two common types of termites that homeowners should be aware of: drywood termites and subterranean termites. To prevent these termites, it’s important to understand their differences and methods to keep them from infesting. Read more to learn about drywood termites and subterranean termites.
Common Termites in South Florida
Drywood Termites
- These termites are brown or white and are larger than subterranean termites.
- They live and nest within wooden structures or dry wood.
- They do not need contact with the soil to live.
- One of the most common signs of their infestation is spotting frass, which can appear in piles in the infestation and often looks like sawdust.
Subterranean Termites
- There are two kinds of subterranean termites, the solider and the alate or flying termites.
- These termites need a water source to survive and will live in the soil to get it.
- These termites build tunnels and nests underground to ensure it’s humid enough and where they can obtain water.
- A sign of their infestation is seeing mud tubes, a mixture of soil, wood, saliva, and feces.
- You can often spot mud tubes along a home’s foundation or floor joints inside a building.
Preventing Termites in South Florida
Preventing both types of termites is essential to protecting the structural integrity of your home. When preventing subterranean termites, look to eliminate any moisture problems from your property, including that your yard has good drainage, fixing leaky pipes, and removing items that can hold water like buckets or old tires. Likewise, make sure that you are being cautious of the areas where there is soil-to-structure contact. For drywood termites, keep firewood at least 20 feet from the home and elevated off the ground, and regularly inspect your deck or patio for signs of damage.
One of the best ways to ensure your home is termite free is to get regular termite inspections from your local termite control company. These professionals will be able to give your home a thorough inspection and recommend the best prevention plan to avoid future termite infestations.
