Identifying Termites in Your Home

As a homeowner, the prospect of termites chipping away at the value of a home that you have invested in can be a scary thought. Termites tend to chew on the internal wood hidden behind seemingly fine walls, making them unnoticeable. The truth is, termites can remain in the wood of your home for many years without proper removal.

Homes constructed of wood seem like the likely structures to be plagued by termite invasions, but that isn’t always the case. Termites are capable of traveling through a wide variety of materials, including metal. They will continue traveling through until a wood source such as cabinets or furniture is available if the structure of the home bears no food. Identification of termites within your home can be a very tricky process, but there are several factors to be aware of.

Signs of Damage

When looking for termite induced damage, it is important to inspect the walls of the home to verify sagging or drooping. When termites feed on the cellulose in wood it begins to weaken the structure of the wall it comprises. In nature termites help wood sources, such as tree stumps, by promoting the decay process. Ceilings and floors are also susceptible to showing termite-caused damage.

Termite activity can also be identified with the discovery of dropping and wings that have been shed. Termite droppings look like brownish pellets and can often be found around heating vents, doorways and window sills. Shed wings tend to look like silver fish scales and can generally be found paired with the droppings.

Prevention and Control

If you have seen these signs it is important to contact a pest control company immediately to avoid continued damage. At Emtec Pest Control we have been providing high quality termite elimination and protection for over 35 years. Our termite treatment technicians have an average of 18 years of experience with our company. This level of experience and dedication is unmatched anywhere else in Oklahoma. Call us or submit an online request today!