Termite Identification & Prevention

Homeowners in Arizona need to proactively guard their properties against two different kinds of termites: drywood termites and subterranean termites. Below is a helpful description of each.

Subterranean Termites

Subterranean termites live in underground colonies or moist secluded areas above ground that can contain up to two million individuals. These termites have high moisture needs and prefer to infest and feed upon wet or decaying pieces of wood. Subterranean termites swarm in spring. Termite swarmers are groups of reproductive termites that emerge from their nest to mate and start a new colony. By far, subterranean termites are the most destructive species living in Phoenix.

Drywood Termites

Drywood termites have lower moisture needs than other species of termites and therefore do not require constant contact with damp soil or pieces of wood. Unlike subterranean termites, drywood termites live inside the pieces of wood they are using as a food source and feed on dry pieces of wood. Their colonies tend to be smaller in size than other types of termites, but their efficient feeding habits mean they can still cause significant and costly damage.

Causing more than five billion dollars in damage yearly in the United States, termites are a pest threat you can’t ignore. Though termites are not a direct danger to people, they are certainly a direct danger to the structure of our homes. 

Termites are insects that are active day and night throughout the entire year. They never stop working and, when in our homes, cause more and more damage every day. While severe termite damage doesn’t occur overnight, if left to their own devices, the damage they cause is costly and challenging to repair. 

Adding insult to injury is that most homeowners insurance companies don’t cover the cost of repairing termite damage.

The unfortunate truth is that termites are a threat to all our Phoenix properties. Our hot temperatures and wet monsoon season provide the perfect habitat for many species of termites to thrive. Termites live across our state in large populations. When it comes to termites, it is a question of when they will get into your home, not a question of if they will get into your home. 

Things that may make your property more prone to being infested by these destructive pests include:

• Having excess moisture in or around your home that is caused by poor drainage, leaky pipes, or faulty ventilation.
• Cracks or other gaps that develop in your home’s foundation, exterior walls, or roofline. Termites will take advantage of any opening they come across.
• Wood on your home making direct contact with the soil – a favorite entry point for subterranean termites.

To guard your property and home against termites, it is always best to be proactive and partner with a local pest control expert. Pest control professionals offer regular inspections and year-round protection against termites in Phoenix. 

Termites spend most of their lives well out of our sight, either in their nests or the pieces of wood they consume. Knowing where they prefer to live and common signs of a termite infestation are key to guarding your home against these pests. 

Subterranean termites like to infest wet or decaying wood and other materials containing cellulose. Inside our homes, termites regularly infest and cause damage to things like studs in walls, structural wood, joists, baseboards, drywall, and paper items. 

Though subterranean termites prefer to move through the soil, they will build mud tubes if it becomes necessary to move above the ground. Mud tubes are about the width of a pencil and are used by termites to gain access to food sources while protecting themselves from open air. Finding mud tubes running along the ground toward your home or up the basement or foundation walls is one of the most common signs of a subterranean termite infestation.

Drywood termites prefer to feed on sound pieces of wood located above the ground. Inside our homes, they infest and feed on flooring, joists, cabinets, furniture, and window and door trim. Since these termites infest pieces of furniture, it is common for them to hitchhike inside wooden furniture from one structure to another. One of the most common signs of a drywood termite infestation includes discovering pieces of wood with holes in the exterior and piles of a sawdust-like material (frass) on the ground below. 

The most effective way to get rid of termites from your property and prevent their eventual return is to partner with a professional. Termites are not a pest you want to try to prevent on your own; they move into our homes without any fanfare and can be present for months or years without notice. Don’t leave it up to chance that termites won’t find their way into your Phoenix house. To protect your investment against destructive termites, call Protection Termite Control to have one of our highly trained professionals inspect your home or business for termites. Do not wait – Contact us today.

Along with our professional services, the following tips will help you keep termites away from your property and out of your home. 

• Store excess wood away from your home.
• Eliminate as much soil-to-wood contact on your home and property as possible.
• Seal cracks that develop in your home’s exterior.
• Repair leaky pipes and areas of poor ventilation within your home.
• Make sure your property has good drainage. 

Call us today for termite protection in Phoenix.