Frisco Property Owner's Complete Guide To Effective Termite Control

Subterranean termites are beneficial insects. They help to break down organic debris in nature and return nutrients to the soil. We can thank termites for helping forests to look green and healthy. We can also thank them for wrecking our homes. Unfortunately, termites are not all that much of a benefit to property owners. It is not good when they come into Frisco yards, and even worse when they decide to get inside the wood of our homes. Today, we're going to talk about subterranean termites and what steps you can take to protect the structures on your property from termite damage.

Step 1: Prevention

There are things you can do that will make your property less of a target for termites. You can do these things long before you even stop to think about termite control.

Sticks. When you pick up dead branches in your yard, it is best to burn them immediately or remove them from your property. Brush piles are termite food. The more sticks you have decaying in your yard, the more attractive your yard will be to termites. If you can't burn the branches you collect, or you can't remove them, consider elevating the wood. This will get it up off the soil and prevent termites from easily accessing it.

Scraps. When you do a construction project, wood scraps can be left over. Some Frisco residents bury scraps in their backyard. You should never do this. You should treat wood scraps as you would dead branches. When pressure-treated wood decays, the product inside the wood becomes inert and termites can feed to their heart's content.

Firewood. If you have a fire pit in your backyard, you may have wood stacked next to it. Once again, elevating wood is the solution. You don't want to have any wood-to-soil contact if you can help it. You may also consider putting wood inside plastic bins rather than on the ground.

Leaves. When leaves decay, they give off a scent. This scent can be detected by termites from a distance. If you have leaf piles or leaf litter that sits on your lawn for a long time, they can attract termites to your property. Mulch leaves up and put them inside plastic bags, and keep these bags away from your exterior walls.

Moisture. A catalyst for wood rot is a moisture problem. If you have conditions that are causing dampness around structures, such as a clogged gutter system, this can lead to issues with termites. Not only are termites attracted to the scent of rotting wood, they're also attracted to moist soil. 

Step 2: Detection

If termites find their way into your yard, it is important that you detect them. A thorough inspection can help you do this.

• Check any areas where there continues to be wood-to-soil contact. You may be able to find termite workers or soldiers on the soil underneath branches, scrap wood, firewood, leaves, and other organic material.
• When you collect branches in your yard, take the opportunity to inspect the branches. Termite workers are about ⅛ of an inch long and they look like little pale colored ants.
• If you've elevated brush piles, scrap wood, or firewood, inspect the structure for the presence of shelter tubes. These are above-ground tunnels created by worker termites with saliva and soil. They're sometimes referred to as mud tubes.
• Inspect the foundation walls of all the structures on your property for the presence of shelter tubes.
• Inspect the base of wood structures, such as decks, fences, and sheds. Look for the presence of mud patches, mud shelter tubes, wood damage, or termite workers.
• Keep an eye out for tiny, white-winged termites. These are called swarmers. They're about ⅜ of an inch long and they gather together as they mate. 

Step 3: Treatments

When you discover termite activity, it is important to take action. Subterranean termites can secretly eat away at the structure and subflooring in your home and cause a considerable amount of damage. As you consider what to do, we hope you'll steer clear of DIY termite control. There are many ways termite control can fail, and when it does, it is going to be hard for you to know it.

How A Professional Can Help

When you invest in professional termite protection, you get routine inspections that catch termites early, even when there are few or no signs. You can also invest in ongoing, always-active termite colony elimination. When termites find bait stations on your property, they take the active ingredient back to their colony and the colony dies. 

Frisco, Texas Termite Control

You don't have to wait for termites to become a problem—in fact, it's much better if you don't. When you invest in professional termite control from All-Safe Pest & Termite, you decide how much you will allow termites to cost you. There are no surprise bills for costly repairs. Reach out to us today for yearly inspections or the installation of termite control products on your Frisco property.