Have you noticed the walls swelling in your home? Or perhaps the floor is sinking, or the ceiling is dipping. It sure sounds like the nail-biting plot of a scary movie! But the reality is that you may have a termite infestation that requires termite damage repair.
Termites are some of the most dreaded pests a homeowner may face. However, when you work with a professional team, like JB’s Pest Control, you know you’re in the right hands. We’ll eradicate the destructive pests and restore your home so that you can focus on the safety and well-being of your family.
Continue reading to learn more about infestations and termite damage repair.
Do You Have Termites in Your Home?
Termites are silent destroyers. They’ve rightfully attained such a reputation because they will often go unnoticed until massive damage is done. One of the key factors in this unfortunate situation is the misidentification of termites in the home.
Termites are easily confused with certain ant species because they look similar. Identification can be even more challenging when some ants, like carpenter ants, have some of the same behaviors as termites.
Identifying Arizona Termites
The most common species in Arizona are desert subterranean termites and western drywood termites. The main difference between the two is what kind of wood they are attracted to and the environments in which they thrive.
The subterranean termite often invades basements due to their fondness for wood close to the soil and moist conditions. However, they can also survive without excessive moisture because of their unique adaptations to hot and arid environments.
On the other hand, drywood termites eat drier materials and are commonly spotted near fences and dead tree branches.
To correctly identify the two species, use the following physical identifiers:
Desert Subterranean Termites:
- Swarmers are about 3/8 inch long and have pale cream or amber-colored bodies.
- Soldier termites are smaller than swarmers and have long rectangular bodies with powerful and prominent jaws or mandibles.
Western Drywood Termites:
- Swarmers are roughly ½ inch long, and their wings have dark veins. Their bodies are dark brown with dark amber heads.
- Soldiers have a large reddish-brown head, large black jaws or mandibles, and two antennae.
How Destructive are Termites?
Termites are a homeowner’s worst nightmare. It may take years for significant destruction to occur. However, it’s common for the termites to carry on undetected for months or longer. This is why you’ve heard the horror stories of families losing their entire homes to these nasty critters.
Luckily, the damage done by termites isn’t always so alarming. Especially when working with your local pest control experts, they can be eliminated early on, leaving minimal impact and saving you cash on expensive termite damage repairs.
It’s a common misconception that termites consume every inch of the home’s structure. What happens is the insects chew small parts, gradually weakening your home. So, when the problem is ignored or unnoticed, the house can certainly collapse over time. More often, homeowners notice signs like the floors sinking and ceilings dipping.
Looking for Signs of Termite Infestation
Every Arizona homeowner should be aware of the signs indicating a termite infestation. After all, it is the best way to begin termite damage repair as early as possible. Looking for the insects themselves is unreliable because they are often hidden away in the home’s structure.
Use the following to catch a termite infestation before further damage is done:
- Swollen ceilings and floors
- Buckled wood structures
- A foul musty odor
- Windows and door are stuck
- When tapping on the solid structures of the home, you hear a hollow sound
- Swarmer termites
- The discarded wings of swarmers
- Piles of termite droppings (look like sawdust)
- Mud tunnels
Preventing Termite Infestations
Because termites are notorious for being sneaky, the best thing you can do is implement expert termite prevention methods. Keep your family and precious home safe with these simple tips:
- Schedule routine pest control services to catch infestations early.
- Ensure your home’s draining system is effective to avoid damp conditions in the yard and home.
- Remove fallen tree branches, tree stumps, and other spare wood from your property.
- Switch out pest-attracting outdoor lights, like white or blue colors, for lighting that is less inviting, like yellow or red.
- Seal the crawl space under your home.
Termite Damage Repair for Arizona Homes
After realizing you have an infestation of these destructive pests, termite damage repair is a must. This critical and serious task is one you want to hire a trusted team of professionals for. Regarding the structure of your home, the job needs to be done with expertise and skill to ensure your family’s safety.
The information below will help you get familiar with the steps following the discovery of a termite infestation.
Ensure All Termites are Removed
It is crucial to ensure all termites are eliminated before proceeding with termite damage repair. Depending on the abundance of termites and the particular species you are faced with, the treatment and removal methods will differ.
Fumigation and Tenting
No one ever wants to receive the news that they’ll have to abandon their home for a period as it is tented for termites. Fumigation and tenting are invasive processes where the entire house is treated with harsh chemicals to get rid of the pests.
Unfortunately, in some cases, this is the only option available to remove the termites. It’s often used when the infestation is severe or when drywood termites are present. During the process, a massive tent drapes over the whole home, and chemicals are pumped through to kill off the termites. The procedure may take 24 to 72 hours. Once the pest control specialist is sure the termites are all eliminated, they will remove the tent.
Other Removal Methods
When conditions are less severe, a pest control expert may be able to eliminate the termites using specialized liquids and baits. With this treatment method, you can stay in the comfort of your home.
Assess the Damage
Once your home is termite-free, you can move on to the essential termite damage repair. The first step will be to assess the impact the pests left behind. The professional will inspect the destruction and determine what restoration method is necessary.
Begin Your Termite Damage Repair
There are three main ways to fix the damage done by these powerful little pests. The team you hire may use one or a mix of the following methods of termite damage repair.
Replace- Your home’s wood structures may be entirely replaced when extensive harm has been done.
Repair- For more manageable cases, more minor repairs can be made using wood hardeners and fillers.
Reinforce- Your restoration experts may also choose to use reinforcement to the weakened structures. For this, wood supports are installed.
Get Termite Damage Repair Done Right with JB’s Pest Control
Do you suspect a termite infestation in your Arizona home? If so, reach out to the team you can trust at JB’s Pest Control. We are your one-stop shop for all pest control problems.
With our experienced and trained staff, we will eliminate the termites as quickly and effectively as possible and return your home to its previous state.
If you think you may have termites in your home, there’s no time to waste. Give JB’s Pest Control a call today to catch the infestation as early as possible.
