Once you have endured a long, frigid winter in many areas of the country, it is only natural that spring will not get here soon enough. In the blink of an eye, the days will be longer, the flowers will begin to bloom, and kids will be spending plenty of time while playing outside. However, as the weather keeps getting warmer, you may also start to see another sign of spring that is not as welcome, which comes in the form of swarmers, otherwise known as flying termites.Spring happens to be prime time for termites as the swarmers will come out to mate and to establish their new colonies, many of which will include residence in vulnerable residential spaces. The termites have the ability to eat a home right out from under an owner, with many not even realizing the termites are there until there is already a great deal of damage done. They can chew right through flooring wood, and even your wallpaper without being detected. This can be taking place every day, 24 hours a day, which will compromise the structural integrity of your home within a few years’ time, all depending on the species. As a matter of fact, termites can bring up to $5 billion or more in damages to properties each year.The good news is that there are a number of steps that a homeowner can take to help keep the termites out of their property. These are some of the best tips set forth by the NPMA, National Pest Management Association, which will allow you to protect your residential space from termites:
– Cut back on, or eliminate any moisture that is in or around the home where termites could thrive.
– Repair your leaking water pipes, faucets and any exterior air conditioning units.
– Repair the soffits, fascia, and any rotted roofing shingles.
– Replace the loose mortar and weather stripping around your foundation and any windows.
– Divert excess water away from your home using properly functioning gutters, downspouts and splash blocks.
– Inspect your foundation on a regular basis to look for mud tubes, which are used by termites to help them reach a food source, as well as any bubbling, uneven paint or wood that seems hollow when tapped.
– Look at all exterior wood areas like doorframes, windows and skirting boards to see if there are changes.
– Keep an 18 inch gap between any soil and wood portions of the home.
– Firewood should be stored at least 20 feet from your home.
– Think about scheduling professional inspections each year, as wood boring insect damage will not be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy.
Termites are unable to be controlled with any do-it yourself measures suggests Aaron Cunningham of Treebark one of the Termite Control Companies in Anaheim Ca . If you feel as though you have any sort of infestation, you need to contact a licensed professional to determine the level of damage and to get a recommendation on the right treatment for your space.
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Thanks for pointing out that uneven or bubbling paint can be a sign of termites along with hollow-sounding wood. I should have read your article a while ago because I saw that and had no idea what it was. Now I do have termites. I saw them crawling around on one of my wood panels in my house and was terrified. I’ll have to find someone who can do termite treatments to get rid of them for me.