How To Get Rid Of Termites: A Comprehensive Guide For Plymouth Homeowners
How bad are termites in Plymouth? They are pretty bad when you find them in your yard. So, how worried should you be? The sad reality is that you'll likely miss the signs of termites in your yard. Most people do. Eastern subterranean termites are sneaky insects. These termites are so slippery that they were able to get into the White House and infest it for years before the White House staff realized it. If they can get past the watchful eyes of White House security and staff, that is saying something.
Today, we'll tell you everything you need to know about getting rid of termites, starting with how to detect these wood-devouring pests on your property because, if you don't know you have them, you won't realize you need to get rid of them. If you'd like assistance inspecting your property for termites, remember that your Combat Pest Control team is available. We provide trusted termite control in Plymouth and offer full inspections and wood-destroying organism reports (WDIR). Contact us today to request a visit.
Why Combat Pest Control Is The Right Choice For Your Home Or Business
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Affordable TreatmentsPest control should not be something that’s too expensive to be within reach. Combat Pest Control offers a range of pest control options and plans to meet any budget while delivering the service you need.
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Exceptional ServiceAs a local business that has served the Plymouth area for over 25 years, Combat Pest Control takes our commitment to our customers seriously. We treat you like our neighbors because you are!
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Customized Pest SolutionsNo two homes or businesses are alike or have the same pest control needs. We take the time to identify your pest issues and assess your unique situation so that we can create a customized treatment plan to meet your needs.
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Best-In-Class ServiceCombat Pest Control is a local company that treats our customers like our neighbors because you are! From our friendly, informative technicians to our no-nonsense guarantee, you won’t find better service anywhere else.
Termite Infestation: How To Identify The Signs
There are many ways to tell that you have active termites. Some are far worse than others. Let's start with the obvious warning signs—the ones you definitely don't want to find:
- Sinking Floors: Over time, termites can eat away at the inside of load-bearing support timbers or subflooring and cause your floors to sink down.
- Sticky Doors And Windows: When termites damage the frame of your home, it can make doors and windows hard to open.
- Bulging Walls: Termite damage in your wall can start to look like water damage on the surface. Termites stay hidden inside the materials they're feeding on. You'll have to look for bubbling and bulging surfaces.
- Visible Damage: It is possible to see termite damage if you have dark, damp spaces, like a crawl space under your home, a damp area under a deck, or exposed wood behind landscaping. Look for wood damage that has mud attached.
- Shelter Tubes: When subterranean termite workers need to leave their underground nest and travel to a wooden food source above the ground, they often create shelter tubes to protect themselves. These tubes are thin mud corridors shaped like veins or tree branches.
- Swarmers: When a termite nest matures, it produces male and female reproductives with wings. These "swarmers" group together during the mating process, which lasts less than an hour. In that short window, you may see them and wonder, "Do swarming termites mean infestation?" Not if you see them outdoors. But it is important to note that swarmers don't travel far from the nest that created them. So, the nest is likely on your property or near it.
- Workers: The vast majority of termites in a colony are workers. It is possible to see worker termites, but it is unlikely. They don't appear on top of surfaces, but you may find them underneath things lying on the soil, such as a tree branch. You may overlook them because workers are a mere 1/8 of an inch and look a bit like fat, pale-colored ants. Take a second look if you think what you see are pale-colored ants on your property.
If you're diligent, you may catch termite activity. Knowing these facts will help to improve your odds. But termites in Plymouth can still avoid detection. If they do, they can cause damage. Let's take a quick look at how termites damage your property.
A member of our team will be in touch shortly to confirm your contact details or address questions you may have.
Protecting Your Property: Effective Termite Prevention Methods
There are many ways to protect your property and prevent termite damage. These are general pest maintenance suggestions that work to stunt colony growth, reduce termite worker activity, and reduce the chance of termites finding their way into your home:
- Pick up sticks in your yard and store them off the ground.
- Remove logs and get rid of stumps.
- Select mulch that is highly resistant to termites, or use pea stones instead.
- Replace wood fencing and home skirting with vinyl products.
- Remove wood landscaping decorations, such as railroad ties or wood flower beds.
- Clean your gutters and make sure everything is working properly with your gutter system to reduce perimeter saturation and wood rot.
- Become familiar with termite identification so you can catch a termite swarmer or worker when you see one.
- Get proactive termite control installed around the exterior of your home to actively eliminate colonies.
- Perform routine inspections of your property to catch signs of activity.
- Hire a professional to perform an annual inspection.
Termite prevention has three core elements—detection, habitat alterations, and termite control. Detection is required to catch termites early on and prevent damage. Habitat alterations work to remove food and conditions that promote worker activity and colony growth. Termite control provides a constant shield that works to eliminate colonies as workers come to feed on your house. Of the three, termite control offers the most protection, and it is entirely hands-off. You can set it and forget it.
With so many things in life to think about, it is nice not to have to think about termites damaging your property and eating into your retirement nest egg.
Okay. So, what do you do if you already have a termite infestation? Here is our advice and the steps we take to deal with termites quickly.
Hear From Our Happy Customers
They really do say it best!
At Combat Pest Control, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our customers have to say about working with us.
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"They were great!"
The owner came out himself and he found a second huge yellow jacket nest that we didn't even know was there and he took care of that nest too.
- Jill G. -
"Highly recommend!!!"
Combat is the best! We couldn’t live in Hanover with John and his crew! Very responsive and thorough.
- Michelle L. -
"Professional, Friendly, & Informative"
John was professional, friendly, and informative. I would highly recommend John and Combat Pest Control to anyone, and if needed in the future they will be the company I call first for any type of pest control in my home.
- Michelle R. -
"The Best!"
Chad is super knowledgeable and friendly. Appreciate his work as well as the rest of the Combat team!
- Robert P. -
"Combat is great!"
They're easy to work with, pricing is great and they always manage to get someone to my house when needed. Having a dedicated technician is helpful too to build rapport with the company.
- Anthony G. -
"I strongly recommend Combat Pest Control"
This is our third year with them. We first called because of ants in the house. I couldn't stop them. Combat did the job and we are ant-free. Combat responds quickly to an ant in the kitchen and wasps and bees nests. Thank you Combat !
- Mark C. -
"Highly recommended."
I'm very pleased with John's pest control performed on my house in south Weymouth. He has found the nest of the ants. I really appreciate his professionalism. Will hire them again and again.
- Shirley H. -
"Made Everything Easy for Us"
John & the Combat team know our house well and the critters that challenge us. He's quick to respond to any attempted incursion and quickly responds to defeat them. They also take great care in working around our dogs
- Kristen P.
