Termite infestations aren’t an unfortunate, but common nuisance that on average affects over 600,000 houses every year in the Unites States. The structure of most residential homes in America heavily uses wood as a main building material and as the primary source of shelter for most families, the personal residences of most Americans are highly at risk from termite infestations. When termites begin to infest a home, they often eat through the exterior wooden panels of the home very quickly. Once they get under the surface of the wood, they are able to easily travel around the wood. Once inside the home, termites can do some serious damage to the home including but not limited to, destroying the home’s foundation and doing extensive structural damage to the home’s interior.
Little Known Ways To Rid Yourself Of Termite Infestations
The signs of termite infestations will most often begin with small, dry, pea-sized holes. These holes, called “pores”, often appear where termite colonies have taken hold and began to build their home. If you have had termite infestations before, you will be able to tell if there are obvious signs of the colony such as dry, cracked wood, mud filled holes, and irregular spacing in the boards of the house. You may also be able to tell if you have been invaded by termites by looking at the soil where the termites have traveled. If the soil has been impacted by the termites, it will show signs of wear and tear in the form of mud cracks, which is another sure sign of an impending termite infestation.
Another sure sign that you have termites is the swarming behavior of termites. Swarms of termites tend to appear when moisture conditions are ideal for them to build their homes. Although termites tend to move in groups, some termites will attack any moisture in the air, which makes it easy for them to spread out from one area of your property to another and cause damage. One way to recognize whether you have a swarm of termites is to check the humidity level in the crawl space or basement of your home and notice if there is an excessive amount of moisture there. If this is the case, it is best to have the entire house treated to rid the building of the termites, but if you are only suffering from minor termite infestations, it may be too late to do much to help since they have probably already caused significant damage to your home.