What Frisco Property Owners Need To Know About Effective Termite Control

Texas isn’t immune to destructive pests like termites, and unfortunately, they can cause all too much damage for homeowners. Here’s what Frisco residents should know about the types of termites, how much damage they cause, how to prevent termites, and the best way to deal with termites using pest control in Frisco.

About The Termite Caste System

While some pests may be solitary, termites are not one of them. In fact, termites live in colonies, which can range from thousands to millions of individuals, depending on the type of termite and how long the colony has had time to grow.

What do termites look like? One of the reasons that termites tend to be hard to identify is because they look different based on their position in the colony. Termites live in a caste system, including three major groups: worker termites, soldier termites, and reproductive termites.

Worker termites are the most common caste and help build the nest and find food sources. They are often described as looking like white ants. Soldier termites have darker heads and larger mandibles that they can use to defend the nest. At the top of the termite caste system are the reproductive termites, also called alates. These termites are larger, darker, and have wings.

The Extent Of Damage Termites Can Cause To Your Property

What are the signs of termites, and what kind of damage do they cause? Because termite problems can go unnoticed on average for three to eight years, these pests have plenty of time to cause structural damage, even if the outward signs aren’t obvious. Some of the damage termites can cause include:

• Buckling wood in your floors, walls, or ceilings
• Cracks and maze-like tunnels in furniture or walls
• Peeling and damaged drywall and paint, which may look similar to water damage

As time goes by, termites can slowly eat away at the wood inside your home until you’ve got hollow walls or floors. It’s also not uncommon for termites to destroy antique furniture. Subterranean termites, which are the most common in the country, tend to cost more extensive damage since they can go unnoticed for longer periods of time.

Four Simple Tips To Make Your Property Less Attractive To Termites

One of the most important parts of termite control is making sure they don’t end up in your home at all – and that comes down to termite prevention. Here are some tips to keep your home and property looking less attractive to these pests:

Remove Food Sources: Cellulose materials, like cotton, bamboo, or even linen, are all part of a subterranean termite’s diet, so you don’t want to keep them around. Specifically, it’s important to keep cellulose materials out of areas where subterranean termites might find them – like crawlspaces and anywhere near the foundation of your home. If you do have to use cellulose or wooden siding, try to keep these materials at least six inches away from your foundation or six inches off the ground.

Deal With Excess Moisture: Like any pest, subterranean termites are after your water, especially if it’s around the foundation of your home or crawl spaces. You’ll need to deal with any excess moisture problems, like leaky pipes or flooded gutters, that may contribute to water pooling near your foundation, basement, or crawlspace.

Deny Access: Besides getting rid of potential attractions, you can also deny subterranean termites access. Wood-to-ground is the most common access point, so you’ll want to be careful about keeping wood too close to your home. Sealing any cracks, crevices, or holes near your water and gas lines is another way to deny access to these pests.

Get An Annual Inspection: Since the signs of subterranean termites can go unnoticed for so long, it’s never a bad idea to get an annual inspection of your home. A professional will be able to spot the signs of a termite infestation, and an inspection can help ensure that you catch the infestation early.

Reducing factors that attract termites and limiting their access to your home are important steps in termite prevention, but they are not a solution to an ongoing infestation.

The Secret To Total Termite Control For Frisco Properties

Termites can cause more than enough damage if left untreated, but All-Safe Pest & Termite can help. If you suspect you may have termites or would like an annual inspection, contact us today at All-Safe Pest & Termite to learn more about our termite control services.