What You Need To Know About Termite Damage In Western Massachusetts

Each year, termites are responsible for approximately 5 billion dollars in household damage, and your Western Massachusetts home is not exempt from becoming part of this total. The type of damage that termites cause usually takes place over an extended period of time, but in the long run, causes serious issues that may result in doors that don’t close properly, swollen ceilings, blistered wood, and deteriorating foundations.

One of the biggest problems surrounding termite damage is how easily it can develop because all termites need is the presence of wood. Some termites look for wood that’s been damaged from moisture issues, while others simply take advantage of mulch or overwatered lawns as a means to enter your walls. From there, colonies can grow to anywhere from thousands to millions of members, and they can build new nests each year.

If you’re looking to keep termites out of your Western Massachusetts home, consider professional pest control in Western Massachusetts. At American Pest Solutions, we have been providing comprehensive termite services for the last century. We hope that this guide is helpful in determining what the termite control process looks like. Please contact us if you’re looking for an additional level of help. 

Methods Of Termite Control In Western Massachusetts

When it comes to termite control in Western Massachusetts, there are several methods that homeowners may find helpful:

• Baiting systems: This method of termite protection is usually placed around the exterior perimeter of a home by a licensed technician. It’s designed to lure termites to it and dispense bait that contains a growth inhibitor. The goal is that termites then spread this product to the other members of the colony, eventually killing it off. This can also be used in a preventive manner.
• Liquid treatments: Another useful way to eliminate a termite colony is to spot treat it with a liquid application. Methods like these involve termiticide that gets injected below the home and slowly kills off a colony within months.
• Monitoring: The process of monitoring a home for potential termite issues might seem like a straightforward task, but it’s one that’s best not left to chance. Enlisting the help of a professional will address every potential risk or conducive condition that can be easy for the untrained eye to miss.
• Wood-Destroying Insect Reports: A Wood-Destroying Insect Report, or WDIR, is an invaluable tool for homebuyers and real estate agents. They are official documents that detail the state of a property and the presence of any termites, as well other wood-destroying insects.

At American Pest Solutions, we provide homeowners with all of these options because we know that termite protection is not a one-sided process. We follow the guidelines of Integrated Pest Management because we want to create long-lasting positive change, and to us, this means providing an array of services.

For our baiting system, we turn to the Advance® Termite Bait System and our liquid applications contain products that are EPA-registered, which makes them safe for people and pets. Either way, we’re able to find the options that fit our customers’ unique situations. For more information on our termite treatments, please contact us today.

How Often Should You Treat A House For Termites?

When you live in Western Massachusetts, it’s never too soon to treat your home for termites. To start, simply by existing, your home can lure termites. Their main objective is to access wood to eat and then build their colonies inside of it. This means that placing mulch too close to the foundation of your home increases the chances that you’ll get exposed to termites; however, something as simple as having leaf piles and other debris around your yard can be just as enticing.

Weather patterns can also make your home susceptible to termite infestations. You might see an increase in termite activity during the late spring and into the summer months for a variety of reasons. This will happen as temperatures rise and overall moisture in the air grows. Things like big summer storms will also have the ability to cause water damage to homes like yours, which creates ideal conditions for termites. Additionally, living in a home that’s older than 30 years increases your odds of developing termites.

Issues like these are all avoidable with a little help, and at American Pest Solutions, we provide year-round termite protection so that you don’t have to worry about when the next infestation is going to happen. We use active monitoring and baiting systems to create a barrier of protection from termites in addition to eliminating active problems. These tried-and-true methods are invaluable when it comes to taking a proactive stance against termites and we look forward to putting them to use in your home today.

What Is Considered During A Termite Damage Inspection?

Termites of varying species all look to access the wood around homes and businesses so that they can build their nests and gain sustenance. While termites in Western Massachusetts eat away at wood all day, every day once they’ve gotten started, the realization of their damage can be a slow burn. What this means is that determining the presence of termites can be very difficult for the average homeowner and that termite damage inspections must be very comprehensive.

• Foundations: One of the most common parts of the home for termites to invade is the foundation, which makes this a very important place to start. For example, subterranean termites start to invade homes through the base of a property.
• Landscaping: If the lawn is overwatered or mulch comes into contact with the home’s foundation, then the yard might be creating conducive conditions for termites to appear. Technicians should also make sure that the yard is free from other alluring debris.
• Outside structures: As much as termites invade the insides of homes, they’re just as attracted to garages and sheds, and a problem on a property can mean an infested home in a matter of time.
• Walls: A lot of termite damage takes place inside of a home’s walls, so technicians will look for signs like peeling wallpaper, mud tubes, and swelling.
• Flooring: Places like baseboards, wooden floors, and tiling are some of the most affected places and where termite damage really shows. Technicians will usually assess for peeling, blistering, and hollow sounds.
• Byproducts: During inspections, technicians will also look for things like discarded wings that termite swarmers shed, fecal matter, pinholes, mud tubes, mazes, and frass, which is sawdust-like excrement.

At American Pest Solutions, our licensed and certified technicians perform a complete termite inspection when we visit your home. This means that we leave no stone unturned so that we can locate where your termite infestation began and how large it’s grown. Once we’ve determined the scope of your termite problem, we’ll implement one of our Integrated Pest Management (IPM)-based protocols, which is either a baiting and monitoring system or liquid treatments. These are both designed to draw out the termites from your home and keep new issues from being able to develop. Because we follow IPM protocols, our technicians will also work with you on the ways that you can deter future termite attraction in subtle yet impactful ways. For more information on our termite inspection process, please contact us today.

Termite Control In Western Massachusetts

Whether Western Massachusetts homeowners are dealing with active termite issues or are hoping to prevent them, there is no replacement for professional assistance. At American Pest Solutions, we have been working with local homeowners since 1913 and to this day, we will always go the extra mile to make sure that pests like termites will cease to be an issue for your home.

Our company is QualityPro certified and holds various other certifications and licenses, which ensure that we have an outstanding level of training and experience, and we'll always uphold the most rigorous safety standards. When we treat your termite issues, we follow the methods of Integrated Pest Management. At its core, this system works to understand pest biology and behavior and how it interacts with your property. It also means that we will always look for the most sustainable, safest solutions and limit our use of chemicals wherever possible.

With these principles in mind, our Western Massachusetts termite control process begins with a thorough inspection of your entire property, both inside and outside. During this phase, we look for signs of termite damage, which include superficial-sounding issues like peeling flooring or wallpaper as well as the presence of mud tubes and blistered wood. We also provide the option for routine monitoring, which allows us to get ahead of termite colony development.

If we find termites present on your property, we’ll start by identifying the species and the extent of your infestation. This is very important information to the treatment process. One of the treatment options that we offer includes baiting and maintenance through the Advance® Termite Bait System. We place these around the exterior of your home and they work for you 24/7 by letting the termites ingest a growth inhibitor, which they then bring back and spread to the colony. Our other treatment option is liquid application, which is EPA-approved and that we apply to soil. It usually eliminates termite colonies within two to six weeks.

For more information on our residential and commercial pest control services in Western Massachusetts, along with our professional termite services, please contact us today.