How To Get Rid Of Termites: A Comprehensive Guide For Birmingham Homeowners

How much do you know about termites? Would you know a termite if you saw one? It only takes a few seconds to search for an image of termites on the internet. You only have to type in "What do termites look like?" to get thousands of results. But seeing a termite online and finding one in real life are two entirely different things. 

The first thing you may notice is that termites don't all look alike. Some are fat and orange with black pincers on their faces. Some are milky white. Some are more yellowish in color. And some termites have wings. But these differences all become meaningless when you see a termite in person. Why is this the case?

It has to do with the size of a termite. A worker termite is only about 1/8 of an inch. Stack four credit cards on top of each other, and that is the length of a termite. At this small size, it is difficult to see any of the visual characteristics you find in an image on the internet. So, it is no wonder many Birmingham residents mistake termites for ants.

Today, we're going to share with you expert tips for locating and identifying termites. We'll tell you why termites damage homes and how they do it. We'll share effective prevention tips that are 100% eco-friendly and tell you what you can do to get long-term termite protection. Does that sound like a plan? If so, read on. 

If you want to speak with a licensed pest management professional right now about home pest control services in Birmingham, we can help you with that, too. Reach out to us for assistance. Your Havard Pest Control team is here to help. We are your Birmingham pest experts. 

Termite Activity: How To Identify The Signs

When termites come into your yard, you aren't likely to know it. They keep a very low profile. Termites tunnel in the soil and feed on the inside of wood. So, how can you tell if you have termites in your yard? You have to look for them at the point where wood makes contact with the ground. Here are some examples:

• Do you have a stack of campfire wood? If you pick up a piece of chopped wood and look underneath, you may find termites.
• Do you have dead branches or sticks in your yard? These are a desirable food source for termites. One tiny stick can have dozens of termites on the underside.
• Do you have wood flowerpots? If you have pots that sit on the ground, termites can feed on them. All you need to do is lift those pots and probe for termites.

These are the ways you can look for worker termites in your yard. After checking these places, consider taking steps to remove any wood-to-soil contact. While using wood-to-soil contact to find worker termites is helpful, these food sources will increase termite activity and inspire colony growth.

How about finding signs of termites in your home? If you don't have any yard resources that you can check, is there a way to tell if termites have found their way in? Yes. Here are a few tips to help you find them.

• Check your foundation wall for thin mud structures. These are called mud or shelter tubes; worker termites construct them to access wood sources above ground level. If these tubes are on your foundation, you have termites in your home.
• Check support beams. If you have access to these, you can tap on them to tell if termites are inside. What you're listening for is a hollow sound. Your load-bearing support beams should sound thick and solid, not hollow.
• In some cases, it is possible to hear termites. The sound you'll hear is a clicking or rustling noise. Soldier termites make this noise to warn workers of a threat. But there has to be a threat for this noise to occur. 
• The worst sign to find is the presence of termite swarmers or shed swarmer wings inside your house. They are a warning sign of a severe infestation.

When you find termites, contacting a termite control professional is a wise move. A termite problem is not the kind of problem that goes away on its own. It is going to grow. Let's take a look at how this works and what can increase the speed of this growth.

Devastating Effects: Understanding The Potential Damage Of Termites

When you find a dozen termites on a stick, you may think nothing of it due to how incredibly tiny they are. You may think that dealing with such a small problem doesn't justify the termite inspection price or the resulting cost of termite treatment. Consider these facts:

• If you find a dozen termites, you only see an insignificant fraction of the colony size.
• Termite colonies can have hundreds of thousands of members.
• Termites don't pass through your yard. They encroach. What this means is they will establish a nest and spread out from that nest.
• A termite problem can start slow but grow quickly. The first nest will take a few years before it starts to produce swarmers. The swarmers will pair off and work to create new nests. While many die off during this process, it doesn't take many successful couples to increase a termite problem significantly.
• Some infestations begin with several successful nests. If a few viable couples form nests on your property, they can quickly present a serious threat to your property.

We can't tell you how much of a threat termites will pose to your home specifically. There are many factors. All we can tell you for certain is that termite damage is preventable, and we can guide you in selecting a control solution that works for you.

Prevention Is Key: How To Remove Factors That Attract Termites

There are ways to make your property less interesting to termites, reduce termite activity, and prevent damage. We promised to give you some effective prevention tips that are 100% eco-friendly. Here they are. You can use these tips to build a buffer around your house, stunt colony growth, and resist termite pressures.

• Pick up any dead branches and sticks in your yard. Store the collected wood in a rubber bin or trash receptacle.
• If you have firewood, store it on top of something termites don't eat, such as a structure with concrete support.
• Do you have wooden flower beds? Consider replacing them with a material termites don't feed on.
• Examine your gutters, make repairs, and clean out the troughs. A working gutter system channels rainwater away from your home and guards against wood damage.
• Check your plumbing and ensure you have no leaks that could lead to wood rot in your home.
• Do you have an old pile of cardboard boxes behind your home or next to a shed?
• Termites love cardboard more than they love wood. Pick up all cardboard, paper products, clothing, and other items that contain cellulose. They are food for termites. Store them in trash receptacles until you can remove them from your property.
• Do you have a pile of construction wood or materials you're storing for a construction project? Termites can feed on these materials. Make sure to keep them off the ground so worker termites don't have direct access.
• Do you have an unhealthy tree in your yard? As that tree dies, termites will start to feed on it. As the termites feed, they will increase the speed at which the tree will die. Contact a tree doctor to nurse that tree back to health or have it cut down and removed.
• Do you have stumps in your yard? Those stumps are termite food. Consider hiring a contractor to remove the stumps and roots.      

All of these tips work to deter termites, but they won't stop termite colonies entirely. If you want to target and eliminate colonies actively, you'll need professional termite control. Let's look at how long-term termite control addresses active termites in your yard.

 Professional Termite Control: Long-Term Termite Control And Protection

How do professionals deal with termites? We use professional-grade termiticides and baits combined with training and experience. When you need termite protection in Birmingham, it pays to contact Havard Pest Control for trusted solutions.

• We offer annual inspections to check for termite activity in your yard.
• We provide pre-treatments to prepare the ground before a new construction.
• We offer liquid perimeter treatments for existing properties.
• We treat structures to arrest termite activity.
• We can install the Sentricon® System with Always Active™ for termite monitoring and ongoing colony elimination.

When you need termite control near you, we have you covered. Contact Havard Pest Control for the right termite control plan for your property. We'll guide you from start to finish and help answer all your questions. 

You don't have to wait until you see termite activity to deal with termites. Contact us today to get your proactive protection in place.