Termites can cause severe and costly damage to your home, but you may not see the evidence of it right away. These tiny insects feast in dark and hidden places, weakening support structures and potentially threatening your home’s soundness. The best way to treat a termite infestation is to catch it early enough to act before your home suffers significant damage. The professionals at Geiger’s Pest Services can find where termites could be hiding as they eat away at your home’s value.
Here are some of the most common places to find these destructive pests.
Porches and Decks
While structural components of your home may be pressure-treated to prevent termite infestations, the wood that surrounds it may not. That includes porches, decks, fence posts and other exterior wood structures. Wood that comes into direct contact with the ground is a particular termite hazard as it gives soil-dwelling termite species such as Formosan termites a path to and from your home. The insects feast inside your walls and on wooden structures on your property. When they’re done with their meal, they return to the surrounding soil to build their colony.
Some termite species that live in wood also venture out to drink from damp soil. Any structure that touches the ground and is near a water source could give these pests everything they need to thrive. Dampwood termites make their homes in wood that is decaying and prone to moisture, including fence slats that are sunk in bare soil or wooden retaining walls around gardens.
Firewood
Like other untreated wood, firewood stacked against a wall provides a hospitable home for termites. Firewood remains untouched during the months that termites are most active, and in a humid Tampa spring, termite colonies have plenty of opportunities to grow. Because wood meant to be burned can’t be treated, it’s irresistible to termites. The solution here is simple: Don’t store firewood year-round, instead of buying it as needed for crisp winter nights. Termite inspection specialists will recommend safer firewood storage that prevents the insects from gaining a foothold.
Trees and Shrubs
A healthy tree can fend off most termite invasions, but a decaying branch or damaged bark can leave bushes and trees vulnerable to these opportunistic pests. Formosan termites are an exception to this rule, sometimes invading even healthy trees and devouring living wood. A subterranean species, Formosan termites live in the soil, which is the primary battleground for fighting them. Termite inspectors look for signs of Formosan termite infestations in the soil surrounding trees and shrubs as well as checking the health of the wood itself.
Eaves and Attics
Termite species that don’t need to seek soil tend to live in high, hidden places within your home, making the attic a perfect place to do their damage unseen. Because they can fly when they swarm, these termites make their home where you can’t readily spot them. Inspectors do a thorough top-to-bottom sweep of your home, looking for signs of a termite colony lurking in your attic beams and eaves.
Geiger’s Pest Services will help protect your home from the costly damage that can happen when you miss the early warning signs of termite infestation. We know where termites like to eat, and if they’re there, we’ll find them.