Why You Need a Solid Termite Treatment Program in Greenville SC

Termites are one of the most worrisome household pests. The costly and unsightly damage they create could be happening in your house right now, but it’s so well hidden that you may not see it for months or years.

That’s why it’s critical to keep your eyes open for termites in house and to take action as soon as you think you see a problem. Don’t worry about squeezing into tight crawlspaces or digging around the foundation to check for termites. Just contact a qualified exterminator for termite inspections in Greenville SC if any of these five situations applies to you, or if you just want reassurance that your home is safe.

You Have a History of Termites

Pest control professionals will tell you that one of the best reasons to suspect a new infestation is that you’ve had an old infestation. It could be that previous termite treatment failed, but more likely, it’s just the nature of termites. They live in the soil and feed on other wood sources, not just the lumber on your home. As a result, there may be thousands of termites just a few feet away from your home. After your previous treatment has run its course, there are new termites ready to move in.

If they’ve found you once, they may find you again. If you’ve had termite treatement a few years ago, it’s probably a good idea to have the house checked again by a Greenville SC area exterminator service. This time, consider getting termite bond service so that you have a long-term agreement with your exterminator for inspections and treatments.

You’re Seeing Termite Mud Tubes

As destructive as termites are, they are surprisingly fragile insects. They need a cool, damp environment to stay alive, so if they have to move long distances in the elements, they will build mud tunnels for protection. They can be spotted on foundations meandering from the soil to the structural wood, inside basements, or anywhere that the termites need a safe area to move to food.

These structures are an obvious indicator that you are dealing with termites and need pest control service. You may be tempted to destroy the tunnels to interrupt the termites’ travel, but leave them alone for now. The technician will trace the tubes back to the source of the termites and apply termite control products to beat the infestation.

There is Visible Termite Damage

Termites are in your house to eat cellulose. That is their primary food. Most of the time, wood is the main source of cellulose for the termites. That is why it’s important to monitor all wooden parts of your home. Even the smallest areas of unexplained cracking, splintering, or dust should be checked by a termite inspector to see if a problem has hit.

Check floor joists, trim pieces, sill plates, and wood supports for decks. On the inside, keep an eye on baseboards and even on drywall; cellulose is also found in the paper backing on it, and termites sometimes eat the paper from between the paint and the gypsum, allowing the paint to collapse or flake off. Infestations are often discovered when the homeowner bumps door trim or baseboards with a vacuum cleaner and breaks the wood, revealing a hollow area inside. Because termites eat wood from the inside out, their presence in exterior materials like trim is evidence that there is likely a large and well-established termite problem.

You’ve Seen Swarming Termites

Each spring, a number of flying termites will emerge from each colony. These flights are often seen inside the home. At a distance, the insects may resemble flying ants, so many homeowners treat them accordingly. An easy way to determine if that’s the case is to examine one and look at its body segments. Ants have three body segments like a snowman, while termites have just two and are shaped like a number 8.

Of course, this may be difficult to do. Both ants and termites are very small, and it may be difficult to determine which one you are dealing with. If you see swarming any type of swarming insects that could be termites, you need to contact a pest control professional to have an inspection and treatment done right away. A colony that is healthy enough to produce a swarm is large enough to do a lot of damage to your home, so contact an exterminator right away.

Neighbors Have Termite Problems

Termites can come into your home from a variety of sources, but the most likely origin is the soil beneath your feet. Buried pieces of lumber or rotting trees provide a convenient food source for termites in a damp, cool environment that’s perfect for them to develop. If your neighbors are encountering termite problems, that is proof that you have an infestation in the soil and that your home is also at risk.

The need for termite treatment in Greenville SC is significant because there are millions of termites in the soil. The only way to keep them from moving into your home is to have a Greenville SC termite treatment service perform inspection and treatment at your home, but a good way to know that you need an inspection is to find out that your neighbors are having termite troubles too.

Termite infestations call for professional services. The products available to a homeowner will not get the job done. It’s also very difficult to gain access to all the areas where termites may be living and feeding if you don’t have the type of training and equipment that a professional termite control firm has.

If you have a termite problem or simply want the peace of mind that comes with an inspection, contact Sargent Pest Solutions for a trusted pest control company in Greenville SC. You can give them a call at (864) 915-5555 or visit their website for information on how to set up an inspection and treatment to get your termite problem under control quickly and effectively.