Wood Preservation for Termites
As a home or business owner, you should be aware of the risk of termites to your property. Termite damage is not covered by most home insurance policies. Statistically speaking, your property is far more likely to be damaged by termites than by fire. Early detection of termites can help to minimize the cost of repairs. There are several signs of termites that you might have these unwanted guests living in your home. Let’s Discuss them and don’t forget to get your free consultation from Schtager!
7 Signs You Have termites, and you need a professional service from Schtager:
1- Swarmers (Flying insects):
Some species swarm at night and are attracted to light sources. Other species will swarm in daylight, but all drywood termites tend to swarm after rain at particular times of the year.
2- Discarded Wings:
Discarded wings that are left behind are another visible sign of a problem. After swarmers take flight, they shed their wings. If you have an infestation, you may find these piles of wings around your property’s foundation, inside or outside of the house.
3- Hollow or Blistering Wood:
You may also see unexplained cracks on internal furniture. As they consume cellulose found in wood, the visible cracks could be a sign of termite activity inside. Eating and tunneling through door and window frames can also cause the wood to warp, making it tough to open doors and windows.
4- Frass:
A key sign of termites, particularly drywood, is frass. Frass is wood-colored droppings and can be confused with sawdust by the untrained eye. This indicator of an infestation is something checked for during inspections. Unlike subterranean ones, drywood termites don’t use their feces to build their tunnels. Instead, they push it out of small holes near the entrances to their nest. This results in small black marks and a dark powdery substance around the area they are infesting.
5- Mud Tubes:
Mud tubes are the most common sign of subterranean activity. Mud tubes are used to travel between the soil and a food source. They are attached to structures, typically in Wood floors.
6- Tight fitting or hard-to-open doors/windows:
Often related to signs of damp and hot weather, stiff windows and warped doors can also mean termites. The moisture they produce when eating and tunneling through door and window frames causes the wood to warp, making it tough to open doors and windows.
7- Head banging or chewing noises:
Another sign of activity is quiet clicking sounds coming from the walls. Soldier termites bang their heads against the wood or shake their bodies when the colony is disturbed to signal danger to the other insects. They are sensitive creatures and can detect vibrations and noises using several organs which are found at the base of their antennae and on the tibia (one of the segments of the leg).
The workers, the ones who love eating your woodwork, are noisy eaters. If you put your ear close to any suspicious wood, you can hear them munching away.
If any of these scenarios match with what you experience in your home, Schtager is always here to rescue you and get rid of unwanted creatures in your home!