The Best Advice You Can Hear About Termite Season In Huntsville
April 16, 2020
How much do you know about termites? Did you know that they are just as destructive as natural disasters in certain locations? How about the fact that they cost Americans over 5 billion dollars each year? Whatever your knowledge about termites is, we are here to give you the best advice you could ever hear about termite season here in Huntsville. Are you ready to unravel the mystery that is termites?
What Termite Season Means
If you did not already know, termite season is when termites are most active during the year, and, more specifically when they swarm. What does this mean for your home? Well, when termites swarm, they look for new locations to build nests. If flying termites are found around your property, it could mean that your home is at risk. If flying termites are found inside your home, we have some much worse news for you. The presence of termite swarmers indoors is almost always an indication of a fully mature termite colony nearby most likely already eating away at the home itself.
One thing we should mention about termites season here in Huntsville is that it never ends. Due to our year-round warm weather, termites never truly stop being a problem. As long as the temperature above the ground remains above 25 degrees, termites will remain a threat to your home.
If you are wondering what termite swarmers look like, they are very similar in appearance to ants. The only two differences are in their wider more uniform body segments and their longer more rounded wings. These rounded wings are often discarded on window sills and can be a good indication that swarmers have been around recently.
The Damage Termites Can Do
If you have ever wondered how destructive termites can be, here are some facts.
- One fully mature colony of termites can eat through the equivalent of a 2x4 in just about 6 months.
- A single home can be a victim to multiple fully mature colonies of termites all at once.
- Termite infestations often go unnoticed for years before being discovered.
- Termites don’t need to sleep and therefore can eat away at your home 24/7, 365.
- Termites will not stop eating until every bit of edible wood from a structure has been consumed or something threatens them.
Given enough time, a severe termite infestation can result in damage such as dipping floorboards, sagging ceilings, buckling support beams, bubbling wallpaper/paint, overly squeaky floorboards, tight-fitting doors, and windows, as well as other severe structural damage.
What You Can Do About Termites
If your home does not already have an active termite infestation, there are a number of things you can do to keep it that way. Here are some prevention tips you can do around your home to fight back against termites.
- Fix leaks around your home
- Make sure your gutters are in good working order and able to properly channel water away from your home’s exterior.
- Use a dehumidifier around particularly humid areas of your home.
- Repair or replace water-damaged structural wood around your home.
- Make sure there is a non-wood barrier between your home’s structural wood and exterior soil.
- Avoid using wood-based mulch within 30 feet of your home’s exterior foundation.
- Keep your yard clean of leaf piles, wood, and other natural or paper-based debris.
How Custom Can Help With Termites
Are you ready for the best advice anyone could ever give you about termites? Have your home inspected. Only a professional will be able to tell you if you have a problem or not. At Custom Pest Control, we offer thorough termite inspections as well as effective treatments to get and keep termites off of Huntsville properties. If you are looking for a way to keep your property termite-free this year, we have your solutions.
Give us a call today for more details about our services or to schedule an inspection for your home.