How Can I Tell If My Houston Home Has A Termite Problem?
November 30, 2022 - Termites
You may have heard the statement, "That kid is going to eat us out of house and home!" or, "That child is a bottomless pit." When children experience a growth spurt, their appetite is insatiable. While it may have felt like your teenager was "eating you out of house and home," there wasn't a danger that your family would be homeless due to his raging appetite. However, there is a pest who will literally "eat you out of house and home"! This pest can cause severe financial damage and even the loss of your home. What is this pest? Termites!
Before termites inflict significant structural damage to your home and create financial costs secure Houston pest control from Texas Termite Terminators. For over 30 years, we have eliminated termites from Texas homes protecting the hard-earned investment of homeownership. We have the tools, experience, and knowledge to eradicate termites from your home too!
How To Identify Termite Damage
Termites typically work in the non-liveable areas of your Houston house, so you don't see them; however, they do leave visible signs of termite damage if you know where to look and the indicators. Look for these signs to determine if termites are harming your house:
- Hollow-sounding wood
- Discolored wood or drywall
- Crunching sounds when walking across the floor
- Sagging corners of rooms
- Buckling floors or ceilings
- Blistering wallpaper or paint
- Warping window or door frames
- Crumbling wood
- Pinholes in drywall
Damaged wood is a sign of termites in homes. Look for these indicators in the crawlspace, basement, attic, and interior.
Why Termites Infest And Destroy Wooden Structures
According to insurance statistics, termites cause over five billion dollars annually in termite damage costs. The homeowner must pay for the damages since insurance policies do not cover termite damage. Water-damaged wood attracts termites because it is easier to excavate.
Termites eat the wood to get nourishment from the cellulose. Termites use wood as a shelter for their colonies. The more the community grows, the deeper into the wood termites build tunnels, which destroy the wood. As the termite colony population increases, more termites are eating the wood.
Factors That Attract Termites To Your Home
Subterranean termites are a problem for Houston homeowners because they work unnoticed near the soil in the crawlspace, basement, and at the base of porch railings, decks, and fence posts. These termites create large colonies that can cause significant structural damage. Because this termite species requires a generous amount of moisture to survive, these factors attract it to Houston properties:
- Poor drainage away from the house
- Unprotected fence posts in contact with the soil
- Mulch in shaded, low-lying areas of the yard
- Unprotected landscaping timbers on the ground
- Firewood stacked directly on the soil
- Dead trees or tree stumps
- Trees and shrubs touching the house
These factors attract swarming termites who will create a termite colony on your Houston property.
The Best Thing To Do If You Spot Signs Of Termite Damage
The best termite control company for your Houston home is Texas Termite Terminators. When you schedule your free inspection, our technicians will inspect your property to determine hot spots and the infestation level. Based on our findings, we will strategically drill through the soil around the home's perimeter and install termite bait stations to attract termites away from the structure. We will also apply treatments directly to the infested areas. We have decades of experience and proven results; we provide the best way to get rid of termites on your Houston property! Contact us today and schedule your free inspection.
