The Best Way To Prevent Termite Damage To Your Houston Home

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Protecting your home from insects and creatures is something that can't be done without professional pest control in Houston. Battling creepy crawlers is especially difficult when you can't see them. Termites and similar wood-destroying critters are typically behind foundations or in soil. It can be a long time before you notice evidence of termite damage.

Each year, $5 billion is used in America for termite prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. Since many insurance agencies consider such issues stoppable, they don't assist them. This is one of the many reasons you should get familiar with signs of termites inside your house. Then, you'll be able to seek immediate help from H-Town Home Services and spare your residence.

What Termite Damage Looks Like

Various kinds of termites exist, and there are differences between them. However, the colonies have the same structure. Many regional workers are grayish-white or white and 0.12 of an inch long. Yellow-brown soldiers make sure the workers are secured while they take apart wood. They block threats with their giant mandibles and rectangular heads.

Reproductive swarmers are out and about, mating for another nest. The winged critters are black, brown, or yellow and 0.50 of an inch long. Look at fixtures and windowsills because they gravitate to lights.

As a termite infestation develops, your floors, walls, and bases will wane. Wood might appear like it's rotting or damaged by water. These are the signs of termites inside your house:

  • Seeing swarmers 

  • Noticing discarded swarmer wings

  • Finding stacks of fecal frass near termite holes, maze patterns, and mud tubes

  • Walls that sound hollow

  • Hearing soft noises from inside structures

  • Having paint that is distending and flaking 

  • Observing that drywall is sagging and discolored

  • Wobbly tiles and caving floorboards

  • Tight-fitting doors and window frames

When these problems arise, one must act fast to prevent a full-blown infestation of termites.

Why Termites Infest & Destroy Wood

The cellulose in wood is what sustains termites. When they attack it, soil, trees, and plants' nutrients are delivered into the ground. These bugs are vital to the ecosystem.

Factors That Can Attract Termites To Your Home

Wood that's damp, injured, or on the ground can invite termites. Cracks and crevices along the exterior of your home are a factor as well. These are the primary draws for the bugs.

The Most Effective Way To Protect Your Home From Termites

No matter how expensive they are, commercial baits and pesticides are inadequate for termite infestations. They're created for surface complications and temporary use. Moreover, they can be noxious. Your odds aren't much better with organic and "at home" ingredients, like orange oil, vinegar, sunlight, and boric acid.

Preventative routines should be practiced instead, like: 

  • Discard wood that is decaying or bruised. 

  • Have leaks and moisture faults repaired as soon as possible. Focus on those impacting wood. 

  • Close gaps in caulk, foundations, and utility lines. 

  • Put screens on all doors that face the outside. 

  • Flush out your gutters and vents regularly. 

  • Distance wood and greenery away from the property. 

  • Keep free lumber, such as carpentry panels, away from the soil.  

  • Mow the lawn and trim foliage on a routine basis. 

With annual inspections, evidence of termite damage may be caught right away. Insect activity and relevant vulnerabilities will be noted too. H-Town Home Services has home pest control treatments that you can't find in a store. Our industrial-grade solutions are specially designed and safe. Humans, domestic animals, and vegetation won't be harmed in the process of our visit. You can choose a plan that's affordable for you. Give us a call today!

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