Know How To Identify Termites
Just knowing about termites isn't enough to protect your home. As a homeowner, if you want to prevent termites from infesting your home, you have to know the basics regarding termites.
Termite Facts
The most common termite, and the ones you are most likely to find are the worker termites. Worker termites have a creamy white color and are responsible in gathering food for the colony.
Termites stay away from the light as well as open air. They stay inside their underground colonies or in the wood they are eating. This explains why property damage can go unnoticed until significant damage has been done. Many homeowners only realize they have termite problems when when the damaged areas begin to break. To minimize termite damage homeowners should be alert to the signs of termite damage.
Flying Termites
Termite swarmers are young king and queen termites. They are responsible for establishing new colonies. They tend to swarm on damp days in the spring and fall. Look for dark colored and winged insects flying around. Look closer if these insects have straight bodies and if they have four wings of equal length. If they do, then they are either coming or leaving your place. Either way, there are probably termites lurking somewhere.
Mud Tunnels on the Foundation
The presence of mud tubes is a significant sign of termite activity. When you find tubes of dried mud on the foundation of your home, or running up walls you should become worried. This is a sure sign of termite activity. If poked, the mud from these tubes comes off like grainy particles.
Damaging Effects
Sometimes it takes a long time before you find termites within your property, but when you do, a more extensive examination should be done. It is highly probable that there is more damage then what you are seeing. If left untreated, the damage will keep expanding and result in the collapse of wooden frames and surfaces.
Termite Friendly Conditions
Conditions in the environment do not have anything to do with being able to determine the presence of termites. However, there are certain conditions that are favorable to them to infest your place. For one, there may be places where the wooden portions of the house is in contact with the ground. The ground termites are partial to moist soil, and if it is near wood, then their foraging just becomes easier. Check also for pipe leaks within wooden portions of the house as well as cracks in the foundation, which might invite the termites in.