Termite Inspection Techniques that May Save You Thousands
What to look for
The most important thing about looking for termites is knowing what you are looking for. The majority of termites in a colony are going to be the workers. It is because of this, they are the easiest ones to spot. These termites are typically white in color, with a slight bit of brown or sometimes reddish tint. The tint is based mostly upon what type of wood they are eating. If you see these white insects that look about the size of a common ant, then you are most likely looking at termites. Keep in mind however, that you if you only see one or two, this could very well be a nymph of some other type of insect or a sand flea. If you are actually looking at termites, you are most likely going to see several of them in a single area.
Much of the time you aren’t likely to find live termites, especially during the day. This is typically because of how hot it is outside. Termites, especially ground termites need a great deal of moisture and because of that they avoid the intense heat of the day. In this instance, you are going to look for evidence that they exist. One of the most obvious signs is the mub tube. The mud tube is just what it is called, a tube of mud that comes up from the ground typically. A lot of times you will see this near expansion joints, especially inside of the garage area. Most people just assume this is caused by ants or just years of dirt buildup, however, rarely is this the case. So if you see tubes made out of mud, this is typically an easy indication that you do indeed have termites.
Another sign of course, is the actual physical damage caused by the termites. Because termites aren’t actually eating the wood, they are eating the cellulose in the wood, they will typically follow a particular line in the wood making their destruction quite obvious. There is a very different look between wood rot which is normally in the shapes of cubes also known as ‘cubicle rot’ and termite damage, which is typically going to be very straight lines right next to each other. Inside of these tubes, generally there will be dirt or mud. This of course is the mud discussed above. If you are able to, try breaking this wood open and a lot of times you will find live white termites inside. If you don’t, this doesn’t mean you don’t have termites, this could just mean that they have moved on.
Finally, you can look for the swarming termite. The best way to find these is to look in the spider webs around the house. Spider webs will hold the termites so that they are easily identified. Termite swarmers are the breeding termites and are the ones that are going to start the new colonies. They look almost identifcal to flying ants, however, the termite has a wing that is twice the size of the body, whereas an ant has a wing about the same size. Another way to tell the difference is that the flying ant has 3 body segments and the termite has only 2. And finally, the wing of the termite is going to be milky in color when talking about the ground termite.
If you find pellets that look like poppy seeds or coffee grounds, you have another type of termite called the drywood termite which is most common in areas of Florida, especially in the Orlando to Miami area and along the coast. These types of termites are typically best treated through tent fumigation, whereas the more common ground termites are best treated with a liquid barrier treatment.
Where to Look
When you are looking for termites, the most obvious places to look are going to be the places with wood. The best place is to look at tree stumps, firewood, and under planters. Patio stones are another great choice as well. These areas make easy inspection areas as you will typically find the termites closer to the surface since there is a higher chance of having greater moisture in these areas. Another place to look will be around your mulch. If you have a barrier under your mulch, make sure that you look under that as well.
Inside of your home, make sure that you check the expansion joints in the garage, around the plumbing areas, and of course in areas where spider webs will accumulate, such as behind appliances and in lights. Window ledges typically are one of the easiest places to find the termite wings and are a great place to begin your search, especially for the drywood termite.
Now what?
If you have found termites, then it would be a good idea to make sure that you get the problem resolved. Termites can do a great deal of damage in a short period of time and you should definitely call a professional to have it taken care of. It is never advisable to try to attempt to treat the problem yourself. Keep in mind that for the average house it takes nearly 100 gallons of product in order to do the same treatment that a termite company would do. Not to mention, the cost of the drills, drill bits, and the like that would be needed to treat areas under the slab of your home. Sometimes it just isn’t worth the risk either and the benefit of having a termite guarantee will far outweight the money saved by doing it yourself.
And of course, most importantly, if you are given the option between liquid or bait stations, always choose the liquid. The bait stations are a horribly flawed system of treatment that leave the majority of your home unprotected.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me or wait for my future posts that will talk about treatments and the like a little more in depth.
