Termites are widespread social insects living in cast-organized colonies that can number hundreds of thousands of members. They vary in size between 1/4 inch and up to 1 5/8 inches long, depending on the species, and are creamy white to black in color. While termites are non-venomous and not likely to spread infectious diseases, they still manage to inflict more damage on our control
homes and our wallets than any other type of insect. They feed on cellulose, and as they do, they tunnel through the wood of dead trees or, if you're unlucky enough to live in a termite-infested home- the structural members of the hose itself.
Let's take a look at signs of termite infestation in your home, how you can keep them at bay, and what an experienced Rockville pest control technician would do to kick them out of your house.
Why A Termite Infestation Can Go Unnoticed For A Long Time
There are hundreds of termite species worldwide, but in our area, the likeliest culprit to make your home an all-you-can-eat buffet is subterranean termites. Termites are most active at night and spend most of their life inside the piece of wood they're tunneling through, making them very hard to spot. In addition, subterranean termites come up into your home from underneath the foundation, often not seen for years after they start chewing through the lumber of your home.
Some of the other signs of termites in your home are:
- Hollow-sounding wood
- Bubbling paint and wallpaper
- Tiny piles of sawdust by the termite holes in wood
- Discarded wings left by the termite swarmers
- Mud tubes leading from the ground to the wood of your home
Termites are one of nature's most efficient eating machines, hard at work destroying your home 24/7. By the time you start seeing the evidence of termites in your home, the colony is in full swing, and the damage is likely to be significant.
How Quickly Termites Can Destroy A House
While a single termite does not seem like a threat worth worrying about, a colony of a few hundred thousand can quickly result in costly damage. A termite colony takes three to five years to mature fully and, at that point, can number up to two million members. In three to eight years, the damage from a termite colony can be significant, costing tens of thousands of dollars to repair.
Why Annual Termite Inspections Are So Important
It's estimated that termites affect over 600,000 homes in the United States, costing over 5 billion dollars in damages every year. Since termites come up into your home from underneath the ground, don't make any noise, and often don't leave the tunnels they excavate in lumber of your house, spotting signs of termites inside your house can be very difficult.
An annual termite inspection offers a layer of insurance, protecting your Rockville home from costly damage termites can inflict.
The Benefits Of Year-Round Professional Termite Control
At Womack Pest Control, we've had over 80 years of taking care of termite infestations for Rockville residents and have grown to be very familiar with subtle signs termites leave when infesting a home.
An annual termite inspection takes less than an hour, during which our technicians will inspect the inside and outside of your home, looking for tunnel entrances, wood damage, and mud tubes. We'll carefully inspect the crawl space or basement of your home and any outside structures that might offer wood-on-soil contact needed for termites to make their way in.
The key to an effective Rockville termite control strategy is spotting the infestation early and clearing it out before damage to your house is done. If you own a home in Rockville, a termite infestation is a matter of when not if.
Give us a call at Womack Pest Control to schedule an annual termite inspection and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Rockville.