No one wants to have a termite problem. The cost and hassle of exterminating, repairs, and possible tenting can be a full-on nightmare. Having to prepare and tent your home, move out for a few days, and then come back to clean up and repair the termite damage is just not worth the hassle.
Before you see signs of termites, investing in a pest control plan in Alexandria can help you stop the problem before it ever starts. Matar Termite & Pest Control is the company that will best identify the kinds of termites (if any) in your home, look for signs of termite damage, and come up with a customized termite control plan to get rid of them.
How To Identify What Type Of Termite Is In Your Home
While there are several different types of termites in Northern Virginia, the ones to watch for in Alexandria are subterranean termites. Subterranean termite colonies contain termites with three different types of "jobs":
- Workers: The smallest at approximately ? inch long, these termites are white and wingless.
- Soldiers: Slightly larger than worker termites, these termites are white or brown, wingless with large brown heads and chewing jaws.
- Reproductives: Coming in as the largest termites in the colony, they are ½ inch in length, brown, and have long wings.
Subterranean termites gravitate towards damp soil, live underground, and access wood in your home through mud tubes, otherwise known as termite tunnels. They will make and use these mud tubes to crawl into your house, usually through the tiny cracks and gaps in your foundation or from underneath damaged floors. They will then live in your walls and cause damage by chewing through the wood. They love moisture, so bathrooms, basements, baseboards, and wood paneling are great places for them to thrive.
When looking for subterranean termite control treatments in Alexandria, look no further than the experts at Matar Termite & Pest Control. We will identify the termite species plaguing your home and determine the most effective treatment type for you.
Signs Of Termite Damage
Keep an eye out for these signs of termites to determine if you have a termite problem in and around your home:
- Mud tubes: For subterranean termites, the most prominent sign they have invaded your home are the mud tubes they build from their saliva, feces, wood, and soil. These tunnels look like irregular, narrow tubes leading from the ground up to the wood in and around your home.
- Discarded wings: Considered one of the first warning signs of a termite problem, look for them near window and door frames.
- Bubbling paint or wood: When termites feed on wood, they create tunnels and hollow openings that eventually fill with moisture. As this moisture builds up in the wood, it resembles water damage. Bubbling, peeling, blistering, or having difficulty getting your windows and doors to properly open and shut are all signs of potential termite activity.
Get a handle on subterranean termite treatment in Alexandria before these pests take over your home. At the first sign, call a professional pest control company to establish a termite pest control plan. Matar Termite & Pest Control serves Alexandria, Northern Virginia, and the surrounding areas. Call us today to see how our termite experts can protect your home.
Pest Control Is Helpful For Termites
Because termites live and feed on the wood of your home long before you ever know they are there, preventing them altogether is ideal. There are a few things you can do around your house to help keep termites from invading your personal space:
- Seal crevices and cracks in your foundation and around window and door frames.
- Keep firewood away from your house or any other wood structures.
- Minimize wood-to-soil contact around your home.
- Remove any mulch that is moist and decaying.
- Minimize the use of sprinkler systems in the wetter months.
Most importantly, sign up for routine preventive, professional pest control from the Northern VA pest and termite control experts at Matar Termite & Pest Control.
What Is Professional Termite Treatment?
Matar Termite & Pest Control experts are trained to spot and identify a vast array of pests. Our professionals will thoroughly inspect your home before recommending the best course of treatment. Some of our treatment methods can include:
- Installing in-ground and above-ground bait stations
- Fumigation
- Heat treatments
- Liquid soil injections
- Exclusion to resolve moisture issues
Don’t sit around worrying about whether you have termites or not. The longer you wait, the more damage they will do to the structure and integrity of your home. Contact Matar Termite & Pest Control for your free estimate today!