How Dangerous Are the Termites In Knoxville?
There aren't many people who expect pest infestations in the dead of winter, but unfortunately, termites can be a year-round problem for Knoxville homeowners. Winter isn't swarming season for termites, but that doesn't mean they won't invade if their primary food source runs out and your home is the closest meal ticket they can find. The most common species in Tennessee, subterranean termites, prefer to travel underground where it stays warm enough to thrive, which means your home is at risk of a termite infestation 365 days of the year.
Subterranean Termites In Knoxville – Appearance And Habits
Subterranean termites are tiny insects, only reaching between 1/8 and 3/8 of an inch long. Worker termites tend to be pale yellow to light brown with soft bodies and slightly bulbous heads, whereas soldier termites are darker with much bigger dark brown heads. Given their size and general shape, they're often mistaken for ants, though if you look close enough, there are distinct differences – body shape, head size, and antennae, to name a few.
These pests are detritivores, which means they feed off of decomposing cellulose-rich material, and your Knoxville home is both made of and filled with cellulose-rich items:
- Wooden beams and framework
- Paper products like books and wallpaper
- Drywall
- Wooden furniture
- Plastics
This kind of activity in your home can cause severely dangerous problems if left untreated. Termite infestations weaken weight-bearing wooden beams, damage wooden flooring, create leaks in plastic pipes, and cause the drywall to sag and disintegrate. That much activity within your walls can also kick up a fair amount of dust particles and sawdust, and that can mess with allergies and asthma.
Prevention Tips For Termites In Your Knoxville Home
Unfortunately, it's doubtful that you'll see any termites if your Knoxville home has an infestation. These pests live underground and use mud tubes to travel to their food sources, so they're rarely out in the open, if at all. There are only a few ways to discover an infestation before it becomes a widespread problem, which includes finding mud tubes on the side of your house and finding shed wings near doors, windows, and exposed wood. Shed wings look like translucent scales, but they're only ever seen during swarming season, and that typically only happens between February and June.
Termites are tricky to deter, but luckily there are some precautions you can take to make your home less susceptible to an infestation:
- Repair any potential entry points around the exterior of your home; focus closely on the foundation, siding, and around pipes and wires
- Make sure your soil is draining properly and aerate if necessary
- Keep your lawn free of debris piles such as leaves, mulch, branches, and wood
- Address any moisture issues around your home – leaky pipes, damaged shingles, rooms that are prone to retaining moisture
- Make a two-foot concrete barrier between the soil and any wood siding around the exterior of your home
- Try not to over-water any garden areas around your home
The Best And Most Reliable Solution To Termite Infestations In Knoxville
Termites are very sneaky pests and often aren't discovered until they've inflicted significant damage in a home, so if your Knoxville home is suffering from an infestation, the best option is to call a professional for help. Luckily for you, Urbanex has the solution you're looking for. We use the highest quality pest control products for both extermination and prevention, we offer free inspections for peace of mind, and we even offer additional re-treatments at no extra cost. So stop worrying about your house crumbling to sawdust and get in contact with us today, we'll help you solve your termite problems.
Request Your Free Inspection
Complete the form below to schedule your no obligation inspection.