Termite Control

Termite Control

There are a lot of pesky insects that are waiting to ruin your day. Mosquito bites itch, bed bugs bite you while you sleep, and fleas will bite you and your pets. But there is one pest out there that wants to destroy the very home you live in. Termites eat wood. Out in the woods, termites are great because they help wood to decay, but when you get them in your home, they go after the wood that holds your home together. A termite infestation can damage the structural integrity of your home. There is nothing enjoyable about sharing your home with termites.

Did you know that termite damage will cost the average homeowner $3,300 to repair? If termites do get into your home, you are not alone. In the United States termites cost your fellow Americans 5 billion dollars in home repairs each year. Since you cannot see them chewing away at the wood in your walls, termite infestations often go unnoticed. That is one of the biggest problems with a termite infestation. Most of the time, homeowners are completely unaware of the termite problem. If you suspect termites, or you want to take steps to protect your home from ever getting termites, grab your phone and call Green Pest Services. No matter how big the infestation, our technicians can help you solve the termite problem. Eradicating termites is our kind of thing.

Not all termites are created equal

There are different types of termite. Some are more dangerous to your home than others.

• Drywood termites: Drywood termites are not native to Virginia, but they can be a problem if you inherit a piece of furniture from dryer climate. Like their name implies, drywood termites love dry wood. They cause damage when they chew inside your grandmother’s rocking chair. Their damage will go unnoticed until a part of the chair breaks. Upon closer inspection you will notice that there are tunnels and pathways chewed into the wood. You might also notice piles of termite feces around your furniture. Any furniture that is made from wood is susceptible to an infestation of drywood termites. They get into your home from furniture that came from an area that has drywood termites.  Their colonies are small, only about 5,000 individuals, so it takes them awhile to do any significant damage.
• Eastern Subterranean Termites: Subterranean termites are native to Virginia. In fact, we are located in a moderate to heavy infestation probability zone.  That means your chances of having an infestation are higher than other area. Subterranean termites are a bigger problem because they have a much larger colony. With more termites, there are more mouths to feed. One colony can have as much as 1 million individual termites. All of them are hungry, which means more trouble for you and your home. Subterranean termites cause damage a lot faster than any other type of termite. Like drywood termites, subterranean termites create tunnels and galleries inside of wood. The network gets larger as they eat more and more wood. Unlike drywood termites, subterranean live underground. They also need to keep things moist. In order to protect their workers, they build mud tunnels to keep moist air inside their colony. If you notice mud tunnels traveling up your foundation from the soil, you have a problem. Those mud tunnels are the best way to identify an infestation of subterranean termites is with their mud tunnels. If you have a crawl space you are going to want to look inside on occasion. If you see the distinctive mud tunnels running up your foundation to the wood of your home, subterranean termites are sharing your living space.

Signs of a termite infestation

If you know what to look for, you can easily spot a termite infestation before it gets out of control. Here are a few of the signs that will help you know if you have termites.

• Discarded Wings: When a termite colony gets too large, they swarm. You will begin to notice a lot of termites with wings. Once the female and male winged termites have flown about and mated, they drop twist off their wings. If you notice piles of discarded wings on your window sills and along your baseboards, you can make the assumption that you have termites in your home. That is the perfect time call in the professional termite control experts with Green Pest Services.
• Buckling Paint: When termites chew through wood, the outside paint will begin to warp and buckle. The wood itself becomes brittle. If any of the wood breaks off and the inside becomes visible, you will notice galleries and tunnels throughout the interior. You have a definitive sign. Unfortunately, the damage is often hidden. Our technicians with Green Pest Services have special tools that can see inside of your walls.
• Piles of Frass: Frass is a term for termite fecal material. Termites like to keep their home clean and will push the frass out of their colony. The small frass pellets begin to build up into small piles. If you find piles of frass throughout your home, it is a definitive sign of a termite infestation.
• Mud Tubes: If you notice mud tubes on the outside of your home, or the crawl space under your home, which is a sign of the destructive subterranean termite. You know you have a serious problem. Remember that subterranean termites build mud tubes to protect them from drying out. They live in the ground and build mud tubes up to reach the wood in your home. Subterranean termites have large colonies and voracious appetites. If you see mud tubes, you need to give us a call immediately. If you break part of the mud tube, you will notice that hundreds of termites will immediately begin to fix the damage. The mud tunnels will fan out across your foundation and look a lot like mud tendrils or branches.
• The Sound of Termites: Soldier termites have long mandibles that they use to protect the colony from predators. They also use their mandible to tap the inner walls of the colony as a way to communicate. When thousands of soldier termites are tapping, you will be able to hear it, especially if they are living in your walls.

Termite Eradication

If you find the signs of a termite infestation in your home, give us a call. Our technicians will come to your home for an inspection. They have all of the tools that and equipment to find termite colonies. If we find a significant infestation we will work with your schedule to find a time for treatment. Once that is complete, we come to your home equipped with a large tent. Tenting a home is one of the most effect ways to eliminate termites. The tent keeps our specialized fumigant inside your home and won’t allow it to escape. The fumigant penetrates deep into your home, it moves through sheetrock and then it sinks through the pores in your wooden walls studs and floor boards. If the termites have gotten into your favorite rocking chair, the fumigant will find them there too. The nice thing about our fumigant is that it won’t leave a residue. You will not be able to enter you home while the fumigant is working, so make certain to plan accordingly. Once the tent comes off, your home will once again be termite free. If you want to keep it that way, our technicians have a variety of specialized methods that will keep the termites out of your home for good. Tenting allows us to make certain that all of the termites are dead. The last thing you want is for them to come back.

Green Pest Services

Eliminating termite infestations from your home is what we do best. Our technicians have years of direct experience with termite eradication. We are also a local company. Because we are local, we are familiar with the types of termites found throughout Northern Virginia and we know the most efficient and effective treatment options. Our technicians will work with you to create a whole home treatment plan that will work with you and your busy schedule. Our methods are safe, effective and efficient. The last thing you ever want to do with a termite infestation is to wait. Every moment of every day they are chewing away on the inside of your walls and under your feet. When you call Green Pest Services, you will be protecting your home from the destruction caused by termites.

Another thing that is different about Green Pest Services is our dedication to protecting the environment. We avoid using harsh chemicals that degrade and destroy our lakes and streams. We use the latest science and pest control technology so we can effectively eliminate termites. With Green Pest Services on your side, the termites won’t stand a chance. Our treatment methods are tough on termites, but are safe for you, your family and your pets.

If you don’t have termites and want to keep it that way, give us a call. Our technicians can show you the methods and procedures that will keep termites away from your home. We will take steps to make certain you never have to live through a termite infestation. Whether you currently have termites, or want to protect your home, Green Pest Services can help. We have been in the termite eradication business for a long time. When you call us, you are putting our years of experience to work for you. When you want termite control services, think Green Pest Services.

Breathe easy—we offer homeowners free annual termite inspections.