Have You Protected Your West Palm Beach Home From Termites?

How is it that termites can be so helpful and yet so destructive at the same time? A termite's sole job in life is to break down wood that has been negatively affected by water damage, rot, or decay. Out in nature, this process is crucial for helping fallen trees and other organic matter return to the earth. Inside homes, however, this behavior is the opposite of beneficial. Even if your home does have a bit of softened wood, there is no need for it to be broken down and destroyed. Unfortunately, termites just don’t seem to understand this fact.

Because of this, prevention is crucial. If you have not yet protected your West Palm Beach home against termites, here is how you can.

Problems Termites Cause

Termites cannot destroy your home in a week. In fact, they can’t even destroy your home in a month. Typically it takes termites several years to cause any form of severe damage to a home. This would be great if it wasn’t for how quietly termites consume wood. It is not uncommon for a termite infestation to go unnoticed for several years. This is because of a few things. For one, termites are subterranean pests. This means they spend the majority of their lives underground or deep within a structure of wood. As you can guess, this makes them fairly difficult to spot. In addition to this, the only sound termites make is a soft clicking noise which can only be heard if you were to place your ear directly over a spot they were currently consuming.

How To Identify A Termite Infestation

There are not many ways you can identify a termite infestation early. In fact, without professional assistance, there is only one early sign you can use to tell that termites have invaded your home: mud tubes. These pencil width tubes can be found on homes that have a cement, or stone foundation separating exterior soil from the wood of the home. Besides mud tubes, the only signs you can use to identify termites show up several months after an infestation has begun.

Some of these signs include:

• Tight-fitting doors and windows
• Overly squeaky floorboards
• Bubbling wallpaper/paint
• Sagging drywall
• Dipping ceilings/floors
• Galleries running through the wood around your home
• Other severe structural damages

How You Can Deter Termites

The one thing termites need to invade your home is wood that has been negatively affected by water damage, rot, or decay. The best way to combat termites is to have any wood that has been affected in this way repaired or replaced. To make sure wood stays dry and healthy around your home, address moisture issues as they arise. This involves fixing leaky pipes and fixtures, repairing broken gutters, eliminating sources of standing water, and using a dehumidifier as needed.

In addition to keeping the wood of your home healthy, another thing you can do to deter termites is to remove attractants from your yard. To do this, clean up organic and wood-based debris such as woodpiles, cardboard, newspaper, and leaves.

Finally, to ensure your home remains termite-free year-round, consider getting the professionals involved. At Native Pest Management, we offer high-quality treatments for termites. Whether you suspect your home has a current termite infestation, or you are looking for a long-term solution to keep your home safe from these wood-destroying pests, we have pest control options for you.

Reach out to us today to find out more about our termite control service or to schedule a thorough inspection for your West Palm Beach home and property.