A homeowner’s worst nightmare is an invasion of termites. Termites are small insects, closely related to ants and cockroaches, that feed on the cellulose material found inside wood. Termites can cause severe damage to structures made out of wood over time. A termite infestation in your home can create structural instability and lead to hazardous conditions. Additionally, a termite infestation can severely lower your property value, and make your home borderline impossible to sell until it’s dealt with. Don’t worry, termites can be prevented when you know what to look for. If you already have a termite infestation in your home, Summit Environmental Solutions can help you get rid of them quickly before more damage is done. Contact our team to get started today with a FREE estimate at 703-520-5868!
Signs of Termite Damage
One of the reasons why termites are so dangerous is because their damage can go unnoticed for months and even years, as they feed in secluded areas that you don’t normally spend time in, like your attic, crawl space, and underneath the home. Check around these areas for the holes that termites will create as they feed, often leaving frass behind. Termites often leave behind maze-like patterns in wood that are a dead giveaway of their presence. In your crawl space or near your foundation, you might spot mud tubes, which are narrow tubes made of mud that termites use to get up to your home. You might also spot discarded wings or piles of tiny, pepper-like termite droppings in target areas like attics and crawl spaces.
As the infestation gets worse, termites will start feeding on wooden furniture, walls, doors, and window frames. Knocking on wood will sound hollow, and they can make doors and windows more difficult to open. Sagging or buckling floors and roofs are also a result of termites, and you might notice a mildewy smell in the home.
Make Sure Your Home’s Wood Is Protected
One of the best ways to make sure the wood in your home is protected is to make sure that you are having it painted or treated, as termites love untreated, unpainted wood. Additionally, make sure that wood in your home is not touching soil. Avoiding storing firewood, cardboard boxes or newspaper near the foundation. Make sure you use mulch near your home sparingly, as mulch provides perfect harborage for termites. Eliminate dead trees and rotting logs in your yard, as termites can set up shop inside this dead wood and then migrate to your home.
Crawlspace Encapsulations and Basement Waterproofing
Termites need high levels of moisture in order to survive, so a home without proper waterproofing can provide a perfect target for these wood-destroying insects. If your crawl space has a dirt floor, then water vapor and groundwater can seep in through the dirt, creating moist conditions in the crawl space that are conducive to termites. A basement without proper waterproofing can flood easily, which can also create the perfect conditions for termites to thrive. Summit Environmental Solutions can help, we offer crawl space encapsulation services aimed at reducing the levels of moisture in the crawl space, while also preventing intrusions of pests like termites. If you don’t have a crawl space, then our basement waterproofing and sump pump services can ensure that your home stays moisture and termite-free.
Regular Pest Control Programs
Another way to prevent termite damage is to have regular pest control treatments done on your property. Preventative pest control treatments will stop termites before they even reach your home, and prevent them from establishing a population on your property. Summit Environmental Solutions offers several regular pest control programs on a monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Our preventative pest control programs don’t just stop termites, but they can also stop ants, spiders, roaches, crickets, silverfish, ticks, fleas, and more. Contact our team to get started today with a FREE estimate at 703-520-5868!
Contact Summit For Termite Prevention in Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax
Termites are a very destructive nuisance pest that will feed on the wood in your home, hollowing it out over time and leading to structural instability and dangerous conditions in the home. However, termite damage can be stopped and even prevented if you know what to look out for. Keep an eye out for termite damage around the attic or crawl space, and keep moisture levels in your home down with a crawl space encapsulation or basement waterproofing service from Summit Environmental Solutions. Summit can also provide you with pest control treatments to keep termites off your property in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, and Fredericksburg. We offer FREE estimates, so don’t hesitate to reach out and give us a call at 703-520-5868!
