How To Tell If You Have Termites And What You Can Do About It

Termites are pesky bugs you do not want to find in your home if you are a homeowner. If you've spotted one, there may be hundreds or thousands just like it somewhere nearby. It's only a matter of time before these pests begin to chew through the wood around your house, causing you a number of problems, some of which can be quite costly. See below for tips on how to tell if you have termites and what you can do about it.

Do You Have Termites?

If you have termites, you may not even know. Termites are usually found underground, so if you find them outside or find dead termites, it could be the sign of an infestation. Termites can chew through the wood around the outside of your home such as in  mulch, in piles of paper, cardboard, or in wood piles. Termites could also be eating the wood on your home, which could make your home a danger, or could be an opening for other pests to get into your house.

  • Check for mounds outside your home on the walls of your foundation, near decking or on your homes siding.
  • Tap the wood around your house to see if it is hollow. A hollowed sound may indicate a termite problem. 
  • Look around for dead termites, or even live ones flying around. You may even find their wings inside spider webs around the exterior.

If you think you have termites, or feel you have an infestation, you should call a professional pest control company for help to get rid of these pests before the problem gets any bigger.

What You Should Do About Your Termite Problem

There are a few things you can do about your termite problem to help get rid of them and keep them away.

  • Remove mulch from your garden beds. If you have mulch close by your home, termites could be nesting in the mulch. Other pests such as ants could also be in the mulch. Get rid of it.
  • Expose the termites to sunlight to get rid of them. Termites do not like sunlight and it can kill them.
  • Use a wet cardboard box to attract the termites, then when they begin to colonize burn the box.
  • Sprinkle borax on the termite nests or mounds. Borax is a non-toxic easy way to kill termites.

Termites are one of the worst pests a homeowner can have in their homes. They can cause a lot of damage in very little time. Call a professional pest control company, like EMCO Pest Control, for help to get rid of these bugs before your home is destroyed.

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