Why is the Spring considered termite season?

Over the course of the year the termite colonies become large enough where they actually have to start additional colonies. This is necessary because there is an overabundance of insects in the nest. Like all social insects they have what is called a swarm. Termites, bees, wasps, ants all act as location scouts and are sent out to find a new venue. Swarming is a natural part of insect behavior and is normally not a problem, unless the swarm happens in your home.

How to determine infestation?

There are several different telltale signs of a termite infestation. One of course being a swarm. It can be the end of February, or March, and all of a sudden you’ll notice you have lots and lots of small black winged insects. The most common areas are the front stoop or sliding back door. Also, any area (such as) where you have wood in direct contact with soil. This is a common occurrence at the garage door jam, the kick plate under the front door, and the uprights that hold up basement stairs. In many instances, the termites will not be discovered until they actually swarm, which can be 3-5 years after they have infested the house. In one case in particular, a homeowner noticed a large number of starlings around her front stoop. This very common bird was eating the swarmers as they were coming out of the kick plate of the house. Evidence of swarming often happens near the front stoop. Often times, when the house is being constructed, the front stoop is the last to be constructed. The stoop is hollow wood filled in with rocks and wooden debris from the construction site. On average, termites take approximately 20 years to eat the debris under the stoop, before they start on the house. Unfortunately, termites can make their way into the frame of the house.

A good way for homeowners to recognize there is a problem is by detecting shelter tubes or tunnels. These are dirt lines about an 1/8 “ wide, which are usually be recognizable in areas where wood meets soil. What a shelter tube does is protects termites from predators such as birds and other insects. It also acts like an air-conditioning system for them that keep a certain moisture content and air pressure as it would be in the soil. …which is their natural habitat. Areas where this is often found is in an unfinished basement directly beneath the front or side stoops on or between the sill plates. The sill plate is the first piece of lumber that sits on top of the foundation. Also recognizable in some slab construction the mud tubes will show up as little marks the size of match heads on the dry wall. They are usually tan or terracotta in color. These are usually telltale signs homeowners can look for. Sometimes tubes can appear in the center of a basement away from the foundation and can hang down as far a foot and a half down. This tube is an exploratory tube that the termites uses to get back into the soil.

Why it is important to recognize the problem?

Termites do not go away by themselves. The house is the perfect environment for them to thrive with plenty of soil around the house. The subterranean termite have all the wood they need to eat because in this local, all the house are comprised of wood frame construction. Also, the termites have enough heat that radiates through the foundation that keeps them active through the winter. Slab houses are built directly on top of the termites’ natural habitat, which is soil. In slab construction, contractors commonly bury construction site debris before the slab is poured.

I had my house inspected 6 months ago and didn’t have termites then, but I do now..Why?

Due to the way a home is constructed you can go for years without termite activity being detected. The termites were present, but not recognizable. This is why there is a limited guarantee with termite inspections because in a lot of instances they are difficult to detect.

Who should treat?

A termite infestation must be treated by a licensed professional exterminator who will use a termitacide. Termitacide are chemically engineered pesticides, which are designed to bind with the soil particles. Termitacides are effective because they are pumped down into termites’ natural habitat…soil. A new generation of termiticides have emerged on the market called “non-repellant” termiticides. These chemicals are not repellents but rather they bind to the termite and is then brought back to the colony by the insects as they pass back and forth through the chemical.

Are chemicals safe?

Chemical companies spend tens of millions of dollars on research and development to ensure that the products can be safely used around humans and pets. It takes years for these chemicals to be approved by the DEP.

Service agreements

Will they come back?

Sometimes termites will come back because the chemical treatment wasn’t completely effective. We have especially had problems with slab construction because there is so much area beneath the structure that is hard to access. Also in slab construction there are expansion joints used and they are comprised of wood. Expansion joints are supposed be comprised of felt and tar but a lot of times wooden 2 by 4s are installed instead. If concrete expands and contracts without proper expansion joints to buffer the slab, it will crack. The area where the slab and expansion joint meet is called a key. This is where the termites come through to enter the house.

Also, when termite treatments are done, customers are given written contracts explaining conditions which will encourage termite infestation. These include all wood to ground contact, shrubbery close to the foundation, wooden fences, wooden debris and firewood piles in close proximity to the foundation.

Lastly, an adverse moisture condition will encourage all wood destroying insects, including termites. Repair all plumbing leaks and direct all water off of the roof well away from the foundation. Leaking gutters should be resealed and kept properly aligned.

Where do they come from?

They come from the soil. Termites don’t realize they are in a house. They are just doing their natural function…eating wood. Termites natural function is to turn this wood back into soil as part of the decaying process. Termites eat dead tree stumps, fallen tree branches and tree roots so when we build on top of their natural environment it is inevitable that we will create this problem.