Every year termites cause billions of dollars of damage to homes. Collectively, homeowners spend about $2 billion to repair all this damage. Even though winter is coming to your Virginia or Maryland home, termites can move in and stay in your home.

Termites are uninvited pests that will not go away. Let’s take a look at how they survive and why professional removal methods are necessary to protect your home.

How Termites Survive

There are three basic things termites need: moisture, warmth, and food. These pests consume wood for food, which means your home is their food. Wood materials throughout your home give these insects everything they need to survive

Termites can get moistures from puddles near the foundation or even air conditioning condensation. They do not need a great deal of water to live.

Signs of Termites

You would think that you would know if something was eating away at your home, but unfortunately, termites can go unnoticed for a long time. Termites are small (only about a half an inch), and the chewing noise is very faint. Add in all your drywall protection, and you will never hear them.

You will likely never see a termite because they live in the wood or in the ground. You will not see them crawling on walls. Most worker termites avoid light at all costs, but you may find signs of swarmers.

You can find these winged insects around windows and doors during mating season in the spring. Termites also drop their wings after mating, so check floors and windowsills.

Termites also build tunnels about the size of pencils on the ceilings, floors, and walls. You can also look for timber that looks rotten or hollow. This is a sign you have damage and could have a large infestation on your hands.

Why You Need a Professional

In order to get rid of or avoid an infestation, you need to know how the termites are getting into your home. Some types of termites live underground, so they will enter at wood-to-ground contact points. This includes doorframes, porch steps, or deck posts.

Drywood termites can enter the home at any level. They find a spot and build their colony.

A professional can explain where the termites are entering and find signs of activity. Even if you don’t have termites, you may want to consider regular inspections to prevent a large issue down the road.

A professional will also know which type of treatment is best for the type of termite you have. There are termites in all states, so everyone needs to be on the lookout.

A termite won’t leave unless you make them leave. The queen termite can live up to 20 years, so you definitely want her out. Your pest control professional will work with you to make sure you have the right treatment.

Keep Your Home Safe

Don’t wait until you see termite damage. You should have regular inspections at any time of the year. Termites don’t need anything special to live””your home is their food.

Termites won’t just go away. If you are in the Virginia and Maryland area, contact us today for an inspection and consultation. We will help you get rid of those unwanted houseguests or keep them away before they visit.