Termites are wood-eating insects that are extremely destructive and can cost homeowners thousands of dollars each year. Just like termites themselves, many of the problems termites cause stay hidden until after the damage has been done.
Pest control in Santa Barbara can help you identify termites, understand the problems they cause in area homes, provide next steps in termite treatment, and keep your home safe from these destructive pests.
Termite Identification Guide
Termites are social insects that live in a caste system with workers, soldiers, and alates. All termites spend their lives under cover either in the ground or inside the wood they are eating, so it's rare to see these pests in the open.
Termite workers look a lot like white ants. They are a quarter inch long with creamy white bodies and six legs. Soldier termites are similarly built but have darker heads and pronounced jaws. Alates, or reproductive termites, are the only members of a colony that comes out of the nest, and they only do this in order to mate. They are also the only termites to have wings, though they shed these after mating. Alates are larger than the other types of termites and brown or black in color and are often mistaken for flying ants.
Three Problems Termites Cause
Just like termites, the problems they cause often stay hidden for months or even years. The three biggest problems termites cause include:
- Real estate complications: Whether you are buying or selling, termites in a property can make or break a real estate deal. No one wants to risk having to deal with this tenacious pest or the unknown amount of damage homes suffer from their presence.
- Multiplying: Termites don't just settle in and get comfortable – they multiply. Colonies will grow to maximum capacity and reproductive termites will be sent out of the nest to start new colonies nearby. Left to their own devices, termites will spread throughout your home and may even venture into neighboring properties.
- Damage: Of course, the number one issue with termites is the damage that they cause. This can leave homes structurally weak and dangerous to live in, make windows and doors impossible to open and close, and create issues with drywall, paint, flooring, and more.
Don't give termites the opportunity to move into your home; instead start taking proactive steps to prevent them.
What To Do When Your Termite Prevention Efforts Fail
While termites can be hard to beat, there are things you can do to minimize the risk of termites in your home, including:
- Seal gaps and cracks in your exterior walls and foundation.
- Maintain drainage systems and fix leaky plumbing.
- Repair or replace water-damaged or rotting wood on your property.
- Keep at least 18 inches between the soil and wooden portions of your home.
These tips are a great place to start, but once termites move into your home, preventative measures don't stand a chance.
When termite prevention methods fail, you'll need professional help to combat these destructive pests. The pest control experts at Jhonny's Pest Control offer effective solutions to termite infestations and can help you ensure your home is termite-free.
Why Every Home Should Be Protected With Termite Control
Jhonny's Pest Control can solve your termite problems, but we would rather save you the trouble and prevent them in the first place. To do that, we offer pre-construction and post-construction treatments as well as WDO inspections and reports. We can provide annual monitoring of your home to ensure termites do not get the chance to move in and begin causing damage. Save yourself from the headache of a termite infestation with proactive termite prevention from Jhonny's Pest Control.