Say Goodbye To Termites In Your Home In The Bay Area

Many pests that live here in The Bay Area make themselves known when they invade homes. This is the case for ants, moths, stink bugs, beetles, wasps, bees, and many other creatures. Unfortunately, termites do not follow this example. You will almost never see these insects crawling or flying around inside your home or on your property. This would not be such a problem if it weren't for the serious issues that come with these pest invaders. If you have never heard about termites and the serious damage they cause to wooden structures, you will want to take a moment to read about them today. Here is everything you need to know about the different types of termites in The Bay Area and how to identify and deal with a problem on your property. Reach out to our team at Bay Pest if you already know that termites are a problem and want a permanent solution to these pests. We offer professional options for pest control in The Bay Area and would be happy to pay you a visit to give these bugs the boot.

What Do Termites Look Like?

There is a lot you should know about termites. Some of these things you can find out passively by letting these pests chew on your home. Other things you may never know. One thing that most people never find out is what termites look like. This is because these pests spend the majority of their lives either under the ground or inside a structure of wood. Typically, the only time you will see these insects is when they swarm. Termite swarmers are thin-bodied, dark-colored insects with wings that extend well past their bodies. These reproductive members leave fully mature colonies, usually during the spring or fall, to find new places to build nests. Even these termites, however, are difficult to identify as they are only able to survive a bit over 45 minutes above the ground before they run the risk of drying out. 

Inside termite colonies, there are a few common types of termites. These members include workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Workers are completely white and have no eyes. They are responsible for leaving their nests and finding wood to gather and bring back to their colonies. Soldiers are a bit bigger than workers and have larger heads and more powerful mouthparts. They use their mouthparts to fend off invaders that threaten nests. They come in a few different colors depending on the species. This includes pale red, light brown, or white. Finally, reproductive termites are the largest. Kings look much like soldiers but are a bit bigger. Queens are the largest and have wide and long abdomens. 

So many different types of termites live around the globe. Here in The Bay Area, the most common species is the subterranean termite. Subterranean termites are exclusively subterranean pests. This means they live the majority of their lives underground. These pests create tunnels from their underground nests to local sources of wood or cellulose. Some things that contain cellulose are sticks, leaves, cardboard, and newspaper. If these things are present on or around your property, these pests will want to be around. If they then find water-damaged wood inside your home or outbuildings, they will invade. Keep all of this in mind as we talk about prevention and control. 

We want to stress that you will not identify a termite infestation from seeing these pests crawling around inside your home. If you wait for this, you could be dealing with severe issues in just a matter of a few years. This may seem like a long time, but we assure you, termite damage has a way of sneaking up on people. 

How To Identify Termite Damage

One upside to termites is that they do not destroy properties quickly. It takes several months for an infestation to grow and several more for noticeable damage to start presenting itself. The challenge is with spotting a problem before it grows out of control. Keeping this in mind, if your home has had a termite infestation for a long enough time, you will start to notice clear signs of infestation because of the damage these pests cause. Here are just a few common signs of termites that can indicate your home has an infestation.

• Pencil-sized mud tubes crawling from exterior soil up to your home’s structural wood
• Live termite swarmers inside or around your home
• Discarded swarmer wings on windowsills
• Moisture spots on floors, walls, and ceilings around your home that were not caused by leaky piping, fixtures, or shingles
• Floors and stairs that are squeaking more than usual
• Windows and doors that are becoming harder and harder to open and close
• Sagging floors and ceilings
• Buckling beams and structural supports
• An audible clicking noise when you press your ear up to walls and floors inside your home

Sometimes it is hard to identify termites, especially when they have just invaded a home. The best way to spot these pests before they cause too much trouble is with a thorough pest inspection. Our team at Bay Pest has the tools and experience needed to spot these invasive bugs wherever they are hiding inside your walls, under your floors, or around your property. Let us pay you a visit to help assess the problems you are facing and to recommend fast solutions to get and keep these pests off your property.

The Problem With Trying To Get Rid Of Termites By Yourself

There are two sides to termite control, prevention and elimination. Preventing these pests can be done, to an extent, with DIY strategies. These strategies include addressing moisture issues inside and around your home, removing attractants like wood and cellulose-based clutter, and repairing and replacing structural wood inside your home or outbuildings that are water-damaged, rotting, or in decay. Although helpful, these tips will do nothing to stop existing termite problems. If these pests are already inside your home, getting them to go away will not be an easy task. 

Controlling an active termite infestation is something that proves challenging for most individuals. This is for many reasons. To start, many termite treatments are harmful to humans and pets when ingested. If you do not apply them properly, you could put yourself and your loved ones at risk. On the other side of things, it is difficult to know if the treatments you are using are working. Without being able to see inside the wood of your home or underground around your property, it is impossible to know if termites are dying or if they are able to recover and continue to eat their way through your home. Professionals are highly trained in how to detect termites and have equipment that helps them with this job. They also have monitoring systems and strategies to keep track of these pests throughout every season so they know if termites are trying to get back into homes. The most important thing when it comes to termite control is the effective use of products. When treatments are used properly, great success is found. If not, you will just waste your money and time. This is the last thing you want. 

If you need help dealing with termites inside and around your home, it is time to consider professional termite control. Our team of dedicated professionals understands these pests, how they invade properties, and what methods work best to combat and prevent infestations. We will help you handle active problems and make sure they do not come back. All you have to do is let us know you need a helping hand.

You'll Need Professional Assistance To Get Rid Of Termites

Now that you know more about termites, the problems they cause, and how to identify these pests in The Bay Area, we want you to know there is an easy solution to these destructive insects. We are talking about professional termite control. The challenge is finding a termite control company that will have your best interest in mind. We recommend doing your research before picking a provider. While you are here today, check out our extensive pest control options. Our team at Bay Pest is committed to providing our community with advanced options for termite and pest control. We have been protecting homes in this area for more than 40 years and are dedicated to you and your property. With many amazing commercial and residential options, you will have no trouble finding a plan that will best meet your individual needs.

Don’t let termites have freedom inside your home. Give these pests the boot today by hiring our team at Bay Pest. We will find the best solution to your problem and establish long-lasting termite treatments to prevent future invasions.

Contact our team at Bay Pest to learn more about our advanced termite control options and find a permanent solution to these invasive insects inside and around your Bay Area home.