What To Do If You Think Your Dallas Home Has Termites
Just about every homeowner worries about termites and their potential for destruction. But what does a termite infestation look like? What does it mean for your home? Urbanex has answers to all your questions and more. Our Dallas pest control company works hard to keep you safe from pests and harsh, unnecessary treatments.
Sure Signs Of A Termite Problem Around Your Home
The biggest issue when it comes to identifying a termite infestation in Dallas is that termites typically stay out of sight. The most common type of termite in Dallas is the subterranean termite, which lives underground in a colony with a strict caste system. Subterranean termites vary in color, from white to dark brown, based on their caste. Among reproductive, soldier, and worker termites, only reproductives have wings. Each spring, reproductive termites leave their colonies to go start new ones. Once they’ve found a place to settle, the swarmers shed their wings.
These shed wings are one of the most noticeable signs of a termite infestation. You might also find mud tubes on the outside of your house, which termites use to travel in between soil and wood. Once termites begin to cause more serious damage to your home, you’ll probably start to notice damage to the wooden structures of your house. Wood might sound soft or hollow when it’s tapped. You might see that the wood is blistering or darkening or that the paint is bubbling and uneven. These signs point to a termite infestation but can be difficult to spot if you aren’t prepared.
A Termite Infestation Can Cause Extensive Property Damage
Over time, termite infestations can lead to severe damage to homes. It does take time, though. The first two termites are not going to chew through a support beam in one day. They will, however, begin growing a colony of termites that will spend the rest of their lives eating wood and defending their nest. So, even though it can take a while for a termite colony to grow large enough to cause structural damage, the damage they cause compounds over time. Because of this, it’s essential that you recognize a termite infestation as early as possible so you can avoid further damage to your home.
You’ll Need Professional Assistance To Get Rid Of Termites
Termites are some of the most challenging pests for Dallas homeowners to tackle alone. They’re rarely seen outside their nests or the wood they eat, so you might not even realize that you have a termite infestation. The best way to remove termites from your Dallas home is to use a professional pest control company.
Urbanex specializes in termite control in Dallas that gets every single termite out of your house and protects it from further damage. We offer termite inspections designed to locate the termites and see the extent of the damage. We then use that information to create the perfect treatment plan for your home.
Practical Tips To Prevent Termites From Coming Back
Once Urbanex has removed the termites from your home, you’ll need to ensure they never come back. The best termite prevention tips focus on making your home less attractive to subterranean termites.
Following these guidelines can help protect your home from damage:
- Divert water away from your house’s foundation
- Repair any leaks
- Ventilate all areas of your home
- Store firewood several feet from your house
- Eliminate contact between wood and soil
- Seal any cracks or holes in the walls
Subterranean termites need to be surrounded by moisture in order to live. That’s why they build their mud tubes to have a safe passage to the wood they eat. That’s why termite prevention is about keeping your home dry. Airing out basements and crawl spaces, repairing leaky pipes, and diverting the flow of water are all options that should be considered when trying to prevent termites.
Additionally, contact between wood and soil allows subterranean termites to travel more easily. Keep wood piles away from your house and off of the ground. Eliminate all contact between wood and soil using barriers.
Covering cracks and holes in the walls of your home won’t necessarily keep working termites out, but it can keep swarming termites from moving in. This is especially important during the spring and summer when most termites swarm. Once they’ve entered a home, they’ll settle in to build their colony. Keep swarming termites away by sealing all holes in the walls.
Call Urbanex immediately to schedule termite removal and treatments and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Dallas.
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