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Subterranean Termites 101 and How to Avoid Them
It’s hard to even imagine something so small being powerful enough to take down an entire building structure. Subterranean Termites can be extremely dangerous to any structure they inhabit, especially since they are known to cause the most damage out of any kind of termite. All day, everyday, 24/7 these little pests eat wood and destroy. Sounds kind of terrifying, but it doesn’t have to be with The Pest Cartel on your side!
How to Spot Subterranean Termites
There are several telltale signs of subterranean termites in your home. The “calling card” of these termites are mud tubes. Constructed out of wood and soil, if you spot these on the exterior of your home, chances are there’s subterranean termites in there.
These termites construct these mud tubes in order to conceal themselves while moving throughout a structure. It keeps them protected from ultimately dying out.
Other signs of these termites are blistering wood, bubbling paint and softening wood sounding hollow when tapped. Loose wings near doors or windows and feces that looks like sawdust are also signs of subterranean termites.
How to Avoid These Pests
There are things you can do to prevent subterranean termites from entering the structure of your home.
First, these termites thrive in damp environments. We highly suggest making sure there isn’t any water accumulating at the foundation of your home. With proper gutters and downspouts you can divert water away from your home to avoid this problem.
In the tighter, smaller spaces in your home such as an attic, basement, or crawlspace – it’s important these spaces are receiving proper ventilation. Having air circulating throughout the room will help these spots be less damp and less favorable for a termite infestation.
If you have any cracks in your foundation, it’s important that you fill and seal those cracks. Also most importantly – it’s imperative that there’s no wood making contact with soil. There should at least be a one inch gap between any wood in your foundation with soil.
We can help you battle these termites!
If you’re unsure whether or not you’re already battling subterranean termites – give us a call! We can come out to your home and inspect any signs that you may have a problem. We can even help you treat these problems as well.
The Pest Cartel wants to make sure every house on the block is always termite-free. Give us a call today to schedule your inspection.