Let’s talk about the bad news – termites. It is good to learn that you have them and start taking care of them, but the news always leaves people in shock. These insects can take down our house under the right conditions and if not discovered in time. Half of the work is done once you know you have these pests on your property. These wood eaters can nest and consume your wood without you noticing them for years.
There were instances when people were slow to notice that something is wrong. In these situations, the termites thrive. No one loves to see them, and they enjoy working in silence. The silent wood killers are deaths for houses, and it is better not to have to deal with them. But, in any case, it is better to know when you have an issue, and how to handle it. This is what we’re going to discuss in this article. Let’s talk about the five signs you have termites & what’s the most effective treatment. We are sure you’ll find our insight useful, as this is the info that could help you get the best out of any situation involving these vermin.
1. The Airborne Termites
That’s right, these insects can fly. The kind that does is called swarmers. If you see a flying insect that looks like a termite it might be the first sign that you have them on your property. They are the recon squad that will fly around their nest. They’re easy to notice as we’re not talking about individuals but groups. The reasons they leave their nests are to find partners and breed. If they fly near your home it means that the breeding material lives there. If you notice this unusual activity it’s time to take the right measures and start the battle with termites.
2. Injured Floors
Yes, floors can get injured too. No, the wood probably won’t be feeling any pain, but you might if you have a termite infestation. The first sign that you might have them can be found on your floors. How? Well, you probably noticed sometimes that your wooden floors have blisters. Did you? Well, that might be a clear sign that the termites live down below, under the surface of wooden floors. Once they start chewing on the wooden materials the blisters will start to pop out. At first, it might appear like you have issues with plumbing and water. This is a bad situation also, but when you realize that we’re talking about the termites you’ll have it much worse. The more the blisters the bigger the colony. The bigger the colony the more issues await you as you seek a solution to this problem many older houses face.
3. Windows and Doors Stuck and Hard to Open
This is a hard pill to swallow. All of us are used to having functioning doors and windows, right? So, what happens when all of a sudden a certain door or a window gets stuck, or hard to open? Well, probably the termites happened. This could b one of the earliest signs that they have arrived and are building a colony. Termites possess a certain intelligence to them and they’ll always seek the easy access routes. In most cases, these are wooden doors and windows. One they start building a colony your windows and doors will start to expand a bit making them hard to open and close. The first time you notice this it is vital that you start thinking about the worst outcome. Those are termites. Doors and windows don’t die out that easily.
4. Wings
You must be wondering what type of wings are we talking about. Well, we’re talking about the discarded ones. Remember our first point – the swarmers? Once they have fulfilled their mission they do one thing – discard their wings. As we said, they fly in large groups. This means that once they find their breeding partners they’ll discard their wings. While for them the best part is over and the life continues, as usual, it is you who will face problems. If you see these wings piled up in certain locations on your property the chances are that the colony is nearby. It’s time to treat them right. Just like Sylvester Stallone would put it in Cobra – You’re the disease and I’m the cure.
5. Termite Droppings
Let’s get nasty here and talk about termites and their leftovers. Frass is what gets left behind termites. Their droppings are a clear sign of termite activity. When they consume wood there are materials left behind. They’re quite clear so they don’t want it to get piled up inside of the colony. No, instead, they will be releasing it all out. This is what makes it easy for you to notice their presence. But, what you should know is that not all types of termites leave these traces behind them.
What To Do?
Well, there’s not much you can do. The only solution is to get rid of the termites. There are many ways you could do this. Some of them are old-fashioned ones and include handling the pests with sunlight, water, or even trying to freeze them. There are also chemicals you could use such as boric acid. Also, there are many products intended to help you get rid of termites. All of these methods require a DIY approach.
While you can do things this way, it is not what we recommend. If you make a mistake or don’t do a thorough job you can either destroy your wooden elements, or what’s even worse don’t complete the job. This is why we always recommend contacting the professionals such can be found on this website. Handling termites is not only about killing them. No, that comes in the end. The biggest issue is tracking them down and determining which kind you have on your premises. Professionals who deal with termites on regular basis will know how to do all of the above, and if you even suspect having termites it is best to give a call to professional exterminators.
