Termites can cause significant structural damage to your home before you even realize they’re there. These tiny pests feed on wood, weakening your home’s foundation, walls, and support beams. By the time you notice the problem, the repairs can be extensive and expensive. Early detection, prevention, and professional termite damage treatment are essential for homeowners to protect their homes and properties from these silent pests.

Steps to Prevent Termite Damage

The best way to deal with termites is to stop them before they become problematic. Taking proactive steps to protect your home can save you thousands in repair costs.

Effective ways to prevent termite infestations include:

• Inspect the Home and Wood Structures: Conduct periodic inspections for signs of termite activity, especially in areas like crawl spaces, attics, and porches. Treat exposed wood with termite insecticides to create a protective barrier and prevent termites from nesting on your property.
• Eliminate Moisture Sources: Termites are attracted to damp, dark places, so homeowners should prioritize fixing leaks, improving ventilation, keeping moisture away from the home’s foundation, and using dehumidifiers in crawl spaces and basements.
• Remove Attractants: Dead trees, rotting wood, and mulch are easy food sources for termites and should be removed from the property or stored at least 20 feet away from the home. Additionally, don’t accumulate large amounts of cardboard, boxes, or paper in storage areas.
• Declutter Around the Foundation: Keep the area around the home's foundation clear of clutter. Mulch, debris, plants, and firewood should not be stored near the foundation, as termites can quickly move from these food sources into the home.
• Seal Cracks and Crevices: Small gaps or entry points exist in foundations, walls, and around pipes and should be sealed with silicone caulk or wood putty to deter termites from entering.
• Regular Professional Inspections: Annual inspections by a professional pest control company can catch early infestations and provide long-term protection. Experts have the tools and knowledge to detect hidden termite colonies that homeowners might overlook.

Common Signs of Termite Infestations

Termites frequently go unnoticed until structural damage has already occurred. Knowing the warning signs can help you act quickly to minimize destruction to your home and property.

Signs to look for:

• Mud Tubes: Subterranean termites build protective tunnels of mud, frass, and wood shavings along walls and foundations. These tunnels allow termites to travel between their nests and food sources. Although irregular in shape, they are generally thin and long.
• Hollow-Sounding Wood: Termites eat wood from the inside out, leaving behind hollow and weak structures. Tap on wooden beams, floors, and walls—if they sound hollow, termites could be inside.
• Frass (Termite Droppings): Drywood termites leave tiny, pellet-like droppings near furniture, windowsills, and baseboards. Frass is one of the first visible signs of an infestation.
• Discarded Wings: When termites swarm to start new colonies, they shed their wings, usually outside, but can be found indoors near windows and doors. The wings are uniform in shape and size and are a likely sign that termites are in or around the home.
• Warped Wood or Tight-Fitting Doors/Windows: Termites consume and burrow through wood, which can cause doors and windows to become misaligned or challenging to open and close. If you notice changes in how doors or windows fit, termites could be the cause.

What to Do When Termite Prevention Fails

Even the most diligent homeowners can experience a termite infestation, and DIY treatments rarely eliminate an entire colony. Termites hide deep inside walls and foundations, where over-the-counter products can’t reach. Professional treatment is the best way to ensure complete removal.

Rest Easy, offers advanced treatment solutions for termite infestations. Our experts use proven methods of elimination to prevent future infestations:

• Baiting Systems: Strategically placed bait stations attract foraging termites, who bring the toxic bait back to their nest and eventually eliminate the entire colony.
• Soil Treatments: Soil treatments create a protective barrier around your home's foundation. This method uses liquid termiticides to prevent termites from entering and kill any that come into contact with the treated soil.
• Wood Injections: Wood injections are applied directly into infested areas for active infestations, stopping termite activity and preventing further damage.

Protect Your Home from Termite Damage

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