Have you ever heard the phrase “eating you out of house and home” used for an unwelcome guest? Well, in some cases this is not going to be your Uncle Charlie, but a much smaller entity living in your home. Termites!
Table of Contents
- Mosquitos and Spiders and Termites. Oh My!
- Special Meal of the Day: Wood
- Death of a Termite
- How Do I know?
- An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure
Mosquitos and Spiders and Termites. Oh My!
When we see mosquitos or spiders, many of us want to run inside to avoid them, however, little did we know one of the most destructive bugs could be eating away at the walls. Although termites don’t bite humans directly they bite us where it really hurts; they relentlessly eat away at the wood that holds up our homes, ultimately leading to deadly consequences.
In the United States the most common type of termite we encounter is the Native Subterranean Termite (most common is reticulitermes) but there are up to 40 species of termites in the United States. The termite doesn’t have a very complex diet, their diet is typically made up of dead trees and dead plants.
In some cases they can also be found eating paper and drywall. Termites live in dead wood, moist soil near wooded areas, or fallen timber. To thrive, termites don’t need large sources of water but can live in minimal moisture levels, as they get water from the wood that they eat. Termites thrive in tropical conditions where more ambient moisture is present, similar to California Central Coast climate.
Special Meal of the Day: Wood
Termites prefer soft grain lumber such as Hemp Fir, Pine, or Redwood since they’re able to eat through it easily and gather the wood faster than if they were gnawing through hardwood.
Unfortunately for homeowners, soft wood is a very popular choice for building materials. However, there are a few things that can be done to prevent a termite infestation.
Death of a Termite
Termites are small, and living in optimal conditions, a queen termite can live up to fifty years and the average lifespan for a soldier termite is one to two years. Generally, termites reach the end of their rope in two ways: exposure to sun and heat, or running out of water.
If you aren’t actively protecting your home from termites, then you may have the perfect breeding ground for a generation of termites. The first step to preventing a widespread termite infestation is to be able to identify the early signs of termites.
How Do I know?
A few key indicators of termites is a swarm of ant-like winged insects on the side of your home, peeling or bubbling paint, wood that appears to be hollowed out, and small granular droppings on the bottom ledges of wood or on the floor underneath a wood structure.
If you don’t have any of the symptoms above, it’s important to mitigate the risk of a termite infestation before it begins. The best way to eliminate a termite uprising is to protect all the wood on your home.
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure
Ensure that all wood is properly sealed, primed and painted on every exposed edge and joint, and ensure that all wood surfaces are not in contact with the grade. If you are wondering if your home is safe and has these preventative measures, reach out to us; our Rogall + Co. experts will conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on your home to give you necessary peace of mind.
By better understanding the optimal conditions for termites and how to prevent a termite infestation, your home is one step closer to being a bug-free zone.
You may not be able to evict your Uncle Charlie, but you can certainly get rid of those terrible termites!
