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Termites are social insects that can be extremely harmful to the wooden components in structures. The kings and queens of termite colonies can live up to 30 years, while worker termites usually live about two years. Termite season begins in March and goes through April and May. During this season termites can swarm in the hundreds of thousands by the windows and doors. This is due to termites being attracted to light. This swarming will most often occur after rainy days when the weather is warm.
People usually associate termites with damage to buildings, but these troublesome insects can also harm crops, farms, and forests. A termite queen can produce more than 2,000 eggs per day. Look for wood damage, live or dead termites, and nests. Termite problems are most commonly encountered on ground or basement levels. Termites can live in a house for over 30 years without being seen. Even if you have a solid foundation termites can still gain access to your home. In fact, having a finished basement can make it harder to detect termites as they will hide behind the drywall.
We advise our clients to fix water leaks, eliminate standing water, throw away dead wood, and keep gutters clean. Sealing crevices and cracks can also help prevent termites. Any untreated dead wood will attract termites if left around your property. This can include untreated wooden decks, wooden fences, and dead stumps. Even wood that was formerly treated may not be sufficient as typical wood treatments only last 5-10 years.
To determine if you have termites you need to examine any places in the home where you can see untreated wood. We most commonly start our inspection in unfinished basements and laundry rooms. If you have a finished basement we will instead inspect other areas of the home as well as around the foundation. Many people discover termites during remodeling when they remove drywall and gain access to the wood framing of their homes. While we would not recommend removing drywall to check for termites it is the most common time, outside of termite season, where the problem is discovered. The longer the problem goes without being discovered the worse the damage to the home. Additionally, if your neighbors have termites the termites will often migrate seeking other sources of food.
If you have termites you will see mud tubes growing from the ground, commonly in basements, to the unfinished wood. The termites live in the mud tubes due to needing to return to the earth for moisture and warmth. Termites will eat the wood of your home and turn it into proteins and fats. If left alone termites can destroy a home.
All Platinum Pest Control™️ uses the latest termite control procedures. We begin with a professional inspection, then move on to perimeter treatments, and advanced baiting processes. It is vital when exterminating termites to use a multi-faceted approach. Our two main methods are bait stations, and treating the home. Both work together to prevent and eradicate your termite infestation.
Treating a home for termites begins by drilling holes around both the interior and exterior of your home about every foot. This is vital because you need to ensure the treatment is pumped directly into the interior wall spaces where termites live. By attacking from both the inside and outside of your home termites are left with nowhere to go. If you do not attack from both sides termites will either flee outdoors only to return later, or be driven indoors where they become a much greater problem. By trapping them in the wall your termite infestation is dealt with, and leaves your home protected against reinfestation for 6-7 years.
Our second method uses termite bait stations. This method is more preventative as it takes about three months to begin working. Bait stations are installed around the outside perimeter of your home about every 6-8 feet. These bait stations contain a fat cell that works as a superfood for termites. Once termites discover this super food they will return time and again slowly growing more dependent upon the bait station. These bait stations serve as a first line of defense as termites migrating from the surrounding areas looking for your home will find them instead. From there we return to check your bait stations every three months. When we inspect a bait station and discover it full of termites we remove it, along with the termites, and replace it with a poison station. The termites who had been coming to that station would then grab the poison, return it to the nest, and poison it. One bait station can kill up to 85,000 termites.
If you have any questions about termites, suspect you have termites, or want to take steps to prevent infestation please contact All Platinum Pest Control™️ today at (718) 710-9982 or bugs@allplatinumpestcontrol.com to learn more.
