Warning Signs Of A Spring Termite Infestation In Eastern Tennessee

Termites are one of the sneakiest pests in Eastern TN, which doesn’t pair well with the fact that they’re also the most destructive. A fully-developed colony of subterranean termites can consume up to a pound of wood in a single day—you can imagine the kind of destruction that can occur if they go undiscovered for months or years. This is all too common! At Russell’s Pest Control, we work hard not only to get rid of termites in our customers’ homes, but also to teach them how to prevent termites and identify termite infestations on their own. Read on to learn for yourself!

Signs of a Termite Infestation

Right before spring starts and the weather begins to warm up again, we have to remind ourselves to keep watch for termite swarmers around our properties. Because every other termite caste is specialized to avoid detection, looking out for swarmers is the best chance that we have to get ahead of a termite infestation early. Here are some ways to identify a termite swarmer:

• Catching their flight: Although their swarms don’t last much longer than a half an hour, finding tiny black insects with long, white, rounded wings taking flight around your property in the early spring is a sure sign that termites are going after your home or business.
• Finding wings: Because it’s fairly rare to witness a termite infestation, you’re more likely to find their discarded wings. Look for them scattered around outside your home, in your garden, or trapped in any spider webs.
• Damage: Although this is later than you want to find them, you’ll also want to know what termite damage looks like. Termites choose to remain hidden and infest structural timbers in most cases, but this damage will be reflected visibly through sagging ceilings, chipping paint, and floors that appear water-damaged.

How to Prevent Termites from Infesting your Home or Business

Now that you know how to watch out for termites, it’s important to be able to protect your property from them, too. Here are the best ways to termite-proof your building:

1. Inspect the exterior of your building for cracks, gaps, and damp wood.
2. Move mulch away from the foundation of your home
3. Fix any plumbing leaks, especially those around structural wood or the foundation
4. Keep any wood piles off of the ground and far away from the structure
5. Ensure that crawl spaces and bathrooms are properly ventilated

As you can see, these steps follow a clear theme of preventing damp wood from accumulating in your building. This is the key to DIY termite control.

How Professional Termite Exterminators Can Help

If it’s already too late to prevent termite from infesting your home or business in Eastern TN, call your local pest control company. The termite control experts at Russell’s Pest Control are well-versed in multiple termite removal strategies that use eco-conscious methods to find and exterminate termites. Contact us today to learn more and get a free quote!