Termite Awareness Week: Everything You Need to Know to Protect Your Home

Termites Cause Over $5 Billion in Homeowner Damage Each Year!

This sneaky and silent intruder is one pest that you do not want to find in your home. Without proper care, prevention or treatment for your home, you could be kicked out of your own house! The National Pest Management Association estimates that termite damage costs U.S. homeowners over $5 billion each year, which is more than fire and storm damage combined!

With the season finally starting to warm up, we are more likely to start seeing more of these wood-destroying organisms (WDO). Many homeowners believe that termites don’t exist simply because they can’t see them, however this is not the case as termites are most often present in a home well before they start to swarm. Without treatment, termites can live up to 15 years – or longer – underneath desirable conditions. One of the most shocking facts is that most people do not know that any damage created by termites is often not covered by homeowner’s insurance… so start now before it’s too late!

Signs of Termite Infestation:

• Termite swarmers, or reproductives, will leave discarded wings near windowsills and doors. This is one the first visible signs of termite infestation. You may wonder if that these pests are just flying ants, but you might be wrong. *A key distinction to identify a termite is that their wings are equal in length and they have a broad waist.
• You will also start to notice mud tubes near your home’s foundation. The purpose of these mud tubes is to provide moisture while the termites travel between their colony and food source.
• One the BIGGEST signs of termites is, of course, wood damage.
• Buckling paint or tiny holes on wood of your home.
• Termite frass, or termite droppings, can be found at or near the entry point of the termites.
• Hollow-sounding wood.

Termite Prevention Tips:

• Eliminate or reduce moisture around the home.
• Remove any food source for termites – store any discard wood or firewood at least 20 feet away from your home.
• Seal cracks and holes, including areas where utilities and pipes enter the home.
• Keep tree branches, shrubbery and ground covering well-trimmed and away from the house. Also be sure to avoid excess piles of mulch since this is a favorite food source for termites.
• Reduce humidity in crawl spaces with proper ventilation.
• Consider working with professionals, like Arrow Exterminators, who offer the specialized skills necessary to rid a home of termite infestation.

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