Other than Alaska, there’s nowhere in America where you can go to escape termites. Even our cold New England winters are not enough to stop them in their path of destruction. And what a path it is! Termites cause billions of dollars in damage to homes across the United States each year. If you want to protect your Hartford home against termites in 2019, read on.
How Termites Remain Active All Year
While Alaska is a bit too cold for termites, they manage to make it through Hartford winters just fine. They do this in two ways. If they live outdoors, they dig further into the ground to avoid the coldest temperatures. While they don’t hibernate, they do slow down during the winter months.
If they live indoors, however, they have no reason to slow down. Once termites get into your house, they can remain active all year long in the climate-controlled environment your home provides. While they’re active, they’re working, and while they’re working, they’re destroying your house.
Signs That Termites Are in Your Home
Termites do not give many signs that they’ve invaded your house or that they are doing damage. In fact, things are often at the point where the house is falling apart before it is realized that termites are a problem.
Because of that, it’s important to keep an eye out for the subtle signs of termite damage throughout the year. Some of these are:
- Frass. Frass is termite waste that looks similar to sawdust. You’ll find it on the floor or somewhere below the small holes they’ve made in the wood they’ve infested.
- Mud tubes. Termites need a moist environment, so when they travel above ground they build little tubes to walk through to keep from drying out. If you see these tubes along the outside of your foundation, termites have probably gotten inside.
- Bulging walls and sagging ceilings and floors. These signs are more obvious and indicate widespread damage.
- Swarmers. Each spring, winged termites come out in a large swarm to mate and start new colonies. They shed their wings after mating, so if you see a bunch of discarded wings, it’s not only a sure sign of a termite colony; it also means that new colonies will form nearby.
How to Protect Your Home Against Termites
Reducing moisture in and around your home is the most important thing you can do on your own to avoid a termite infestation. Termites are attracted to water-damaged wood, so any excess moisture can contribute to that.
However, DIY prevention steps are rarely successful against termites that have found their way onto your property. The best way to prevent termites is to install 24/7 protection against them. American Pest Solutions can install a termite baiting system that works around the clock to detect termite activity and stop them in their tracks. The best way to protect your home against termites in 2019 is to make sure they never get inside. Call American Pest Solutions to learn more about our termite control services.