Termite Control In The Bay Area: Everything You Need To Know

Life in the Bay Area doesn’t slow down for anyone, not even termites. Whether you are a homeowner in San Jose, business owner in Fremont, or schoolmaster in San Francisco, your property can still be vulnerable to termite infestations. The area is exposed to two main types of termites: subterranean and drywood termites. Each has its own specific needs and factors that attract them; however, the results are ultimately similar. Termites are seeking wood and cellulose material that they can eat and your home or place of business is ideal for them. Part of the trouble with termites is that preventing them can feel like a full-time job and when infestations break out, they can take years in some cases to identify. 

Instead of struggling with the what-ifs around termite problems, consider professional help from Bay Pest. We have been the team that countless homeowners and businesses like youhave turned to for more than 40 years. Every day, we continue to serve our community with pride and customized services that yield tangible results. The following guide will help you better understand local termites and the threat that they pose to your property. If you’re looking for more information or wish to enlist our Bay Area termite control services, please don’t hesitate and call us today.

Signs Of Termite Infestations: How To Spot And Address Them

Termites eat away at the wood around your Bay Area property, which can cause a lot of issues over time. In some cases, termite colonies can be active for several years before people notice them. And some of the issues that termite activity causes can also look like issues with an aging home, which is often how they go undetected. That said, are some of the key signs of termite damage that you ought to look out for:

• Hollow-sounding walls when you tap them
• Swollen floors, whether wood or tiles
• Ceilings that produce a sinking effect
• Subtle scratching sounds coming from within walls
• Finding piles of tiny discarded wings
• Wood that has either a blistered or shredded appearance
• Noticing actual termite swarmers, which are the winged reproductive members that leave a colony to start their own
• Not being able to close windows or doors properly
• Wallpaper and paint that has either a bubbling or peeling look 
• The presence of frass, which is pellet-like termite droppings
• Mud tubes, which serve as protection for termites as they come and go from a colony

If you notice any of these issues in your home or think that some of them might be present, the best thing to do is call Bay Pest. With more than 40 years of experience, we are the area’s trusted termite experts. 

When you call us, we’ll send one of our qualified technicians right over to perform a total property inspection. During this time, we’ll address your yard, foundation, perimeter, and interior in order to look for signs of termite activity and locate areas that could potentially be a problem. We’ll also have an in-depth conversation with you about the issues that you’ve noticed so that we can have a full picture of what your potential termite activity looks like. In addressing termites, we’ll provide a treatment plan that we completely customize to your unique needs. For more information on termite identification, please call us today.

Understanding The Termite Threat: Why Termites Infest Homes

Each year, termites are responsible for approximately 5 billion dollars in damage to homes across the country, so there must be something enticing about our properties. If you’ve ever wondered why termites invade certain homes, the answer is simple in some regards and seemingly more complicated in others. In short, termites eat wood, so they come to properties in search of their food source. There are, however, certain factors that can make some homes more appealing than others. The Bay Area deals with two main species of termites, so let’s look at them individually:

• Subterranean termites: As indicated by its name, the subterranean termite usually operates via underground networks. They often attack homes through their foundations and can even tunnel their way from a neighbor’s home to yours through the soil. A few other factors that can lure subterranean termites to your property include wood piles, decomposing trees or other troubled landscaping, too much mulch that’s too close to your foundation, and moisture that’s in close contact with your foundation.
• Drywood termites: The drywood termite also lives up to its name, with its proclivity for dry wood. They are particularly attracted to decks, porches, and sheds that have not been treated with paint or stain. Drywood termites seek out wood that has approximately a 10% moisture content, but they can survive with much less than that. These colonies are often approximately 2,500 members in size and are hard to locate because they take up space in door frames, attics, and even furniture. 

Regardless of the type of termite that might be present on your property or pose a threat, Bay Pest can provide lasting protection from them. We offer a variety of treatment solutions that range from localized treatments to whole-home fumigations in order to deliver results and restore your peace of mind. For more information on targeted termite treatments, please call us today.

Prevention Is Key: How To Remove Factors That Attract Termites

Because termites can be expensive and time-consuming to deal with, prevention is key. Here are a few steps that you can take in order to make your property less appealing to termites:

• Start in the yard. There are certain features of your property that might be appealing to termites without your knowledge. To avoid attracting termites, keep at least 18 inches of barrier between mulch and your foundation, and store firewood in neat, covered piles that are no closer than 25 feet from your home. You’ll also want to get rid of yard clutter like twigs and sticks. 
• Take care of your wood. Whether indoors or outdoors, it’s important to make sure that wooden areas are in good condition. This may mean removing or replacing wood that has succumbed to water damage or making sure that decks and siding are properly treated and painted. 
• Create a drought. Some termites are lured by the presence of moisture or even wood that has been weakened by water and fungus. This is why it’s your job to proactively look for leaks or damp conditions and address them adequately. To do this, you’ll want to redirect any condensation that air conditioning units produce, keep gutters and downspouts cleared, and fix any leaking pipes, faucets, or other plumbing features. 
• Be your own bouncer. Take a good look around your foundation and start to create a barrier of protection from termites by closing off any potential entry points that they could utilize. This includes cracks in the foundation, replacing window screens, and keeping vents in good working order. 
• Seek professional guidance. While all of these tips are crucial in making your home less appealing to termites, there is nothing more reliable than professional inspections and treatments. By working with a pest control company, you will benefit from routine inspections for conducive conditions and developing termite colonies as well as the usage of the most reliable products that are available only to professionals. 

For more information on termite prevention, call Bay Pest today.   

Professional Termite Control: Long-Term Termite Control And Protection 

When it comes to eliminating termite problems and creating long-term protection against new issues, there’s no substitute for professional treatments. At Bay Pest, we have more than 40 years of experience providing local residents with the termite treatments that they need in order to have total peace of mind. Our team is composed of the most experienced and well-trained technicians in the area, all of whom work hand-in-hand with customers to find solutions that will actually work on your property. 

If you suspect that there are active termites on your property, call us to schedule your initial inspection right away. Our inspections are always free of charge and designed to understand the root cause behind your pest problems. We use this as an opportunity to talk with you about the termite activity that you’ve experienced and see the issues from your perspective. During this inspection, we walk both the inside and outside of your property so that we are able to see the whole picture and look for conducive conditions as well.

The treatments that we provide are based on our findings. If we locate a subterranean infestation, your treatment might require our three-step program, which begins with strategically drilling tiny holes in your foundation, filling them with termiticide, and then offering localized treatments as well. If we find signs of drywood termites, then we will likely recommend a whole-home fumigation. This is a three-day process that allows us to obliterate any signs of stubborn drywood termites and deliver you a termite-free home. 

In order to provide lasting protection from termites, we also offer proactive liquid treatments. We deliver these through the dig and trench method. This creates an impenetrable barrier of protection around the exterior of your property. For proactive treatments, we can also install our baiting system that will lure termites and guide them to bring bait back to their colony and stop its spread. For more information on termite removal and prevention, call Bay Pest today.