Termites

Termites are small: only 1/4 - 1/2 inch long. They can be white, brown or black; they have antennae and wings. Often, termites and ants are mistaken for each other because of their similar size and appearance. Key differences to look for include: termites' wings are a uniform size, where ants' wings are different sizes from the front to the back; termites have thick waists, while ants have thin.

 

Termites are often hard to detect unless they are swarming because the workers tend to stay within their tunnels. One of the best ways to determine if you have a termite problem is to look for the mud tubes that termites use to travel between their nest and their food source- which is your wood. You can also tap on your wood, with a hollow sound indicating a possible termite issue. Termites usually like to live at ground level or below, but they can swarm to the upper levels. Checking in basements, crawl spaces, and decks would be the first place to start.

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Termites cause several billions of dollars of damage to homes in the United States every year. They can cause safety issues in any wooden structure - eating decks, fences, porches, support beams, joists, floors, subflooring... anything wood is susceptible. Once termites have eaten through these wood pieces, the entire structural integrity is compromised and serious damage or even injury can occur. Even if you catch it before the structure falls apart entirely or someone is injured, the cost of repair can be incredible or the repair itself even impossible.

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To learn even more about termites, check out our blog post

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