Say Goodbye to Termites: The Ultimate Guide to Termite Control In Franklin

Sure Signs Of A Termite Problem Around Your Home

Why are termites in Franklin so sneaky? There are a few reasons. First, they nest in the ground. You won't see a giant dirt mound above the ground, as you might in another country. Second, termites stay hidden. They avoid light at all costs. Researchers have found that termites don't even like to come out in the moonlight. Third, termite workers have a close connection with moisture and humidity and avoid coming out of the ground except in areas that are moist. But, the most important reason termites avoid detection is that Franklin homeowners don't recognize the warning signs.   

Shelter Tubes: These are thin, wiggly mud lines. Think of them as above ground tunnels. Termite workers make them so they can continue to hide from light and stay hydrated. You may find these tubes in hidden areas that are damp and dark. Since they're often hidden, they're hard to detect. You may also miss these tubes if you mistake them for spots where mud was running down your foundation wall.

Workers: These insects are about ⅛ of an inch long and look like fat, white ants. It is possible to uncover worker termites while working in your yard. You may pick up a dead branch and find them clinging to the underside. You may move objects and find them on the soil underneath. You might rake some mulch and discover them. When you do, we hope you recognize them quickly.

Swarmers: When you see winged swarming termites on your Franklin property, it is a bad sign. Swarmers don't travel far from their nest of origin. That means you could have a nest on or near your property. If you find swarmers on the interior of your home, it is a worse sign. Indoor swarmers are evidence of a severe infestation. Termite swarmers are about ⅜ of an inch long with black bodies and long white wings. The wings of a swarmer are teardrop shaped.       

A Damaged Tree: A dying tree is a sign to consider. A termite-infested tree will lose its branches and start to decline in health. While a dying tree isn't a sure sign of a termite infestation, you should nurse the tree back to health if possible. If it is not infested, it will eventually attract termites.  

Routinely check for these warning signs to guard your property. The best time to perform an inspection is March, April, or May. What do you do when you find signs of termites on your property? The first step is to consider the threat termites represent.

A Termite Infestation Can Cause Extensive Property Damage

Termites don't damage your home overnight. They slowly erode it over the course of years. In the United States, termites cost U.S. property owners over $5 billion. We can't tell you how much damage they'll do to your Franklin home. The best we can do is tell you how they can damage your home.

• Termites prefer decaying wood and will start with rotted areas. If you have wood rot, you're at greater risk.
• Termites are constantly searching for food, even after food sources are found. They can feed on a pile of branches in your yard and nibble on your home at the same time.
• Termites never sleep. The workers in a colony can stay active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• Termites travel as far as the length of a football field in search of food. You can have more than one colony feeding on your home at the same time.
• A single termite colony can have over a hundred thousand workers.

Termite control should actively protect your property and guard against termite damage, but applying termite control isn't easy and avoiding termite damage is tricky. It takes effective termite monitoring and colony elimination. That is why we recommend professional termite control.  

Contact The Professionals At The First Sign Of Termites

When you see warning signs of termite activity, contact a certified termite control professional. There are many challenges associated with applying termite control products. If misapplied, you may allow termites to continue to munch on your home.

All-American Pest Control is a Certified Sentricon Installer. Our on-staff experts have evaluated the professional termite control options available and have found that The Sentricon® System with Always Active™ provides the best solution. When you have Sentricon termite bait stations installed on your property, they will work to arrest termite activity inside your home. The reason they work is linked to one of the facts we shared with you. Termites are always looking for food, even after they find a food source. That means they can find the bait in your bait stations even if they're already damaging your home. When the bait is found, the active ingredient works its way through the colony and leads to colony elimination. Sentricon targets the source of your problem, not the symptom. So you can rest easy. 

Once the termite colony is gone, what's next? Let's look at how Sentricon helps you prevent future termite troubles. We'll also look at what you can do to prevent termite damage if you don't have Sentricon installed.

Prevent: The Key To Preventing Future Termite Troubles

Your Sentricon System doesn't just help with termite removal; it actively works to eliminate attacking colonies. That is why it has "always active" in the name. It is always actively providing a food source for termites and intercepts them on their way to feed on your home. When the food is found, the termites share it and the colony is eliminated. How long does Sentricon work to keep your property safe? Indefinitely, as long as your system is checked and maintained, and Sentricon comes with many benefits. Here are a few to consider:

• When termites are found, you'll know it. Workers and soldiers are found in the stations during inspections.
• Sentricon comes with a $1,000,000 Termite Damage Repair Warranty for homes that qualify.
• With All-American Pest Control, there is no contract. You can cancel your termite control at any time. But, with a million-dollar repair warranty and evidence that your termite system has guarded your property, you won't want to cancel. 
• Bait is superior to termiticide treatments because no drilling or trenching is required, and you won't have chemicals pumped into the ground.      

What can you do if you're not ready to get professional termite control? Can you guard your own property and stop termites? Yes. While it isn't easy, and these tips won't provide the best protection for your investment, it is better to have some protection than none at all. Here are some tips to help you deter termite activity.

• Pick up dead branches in your yard and remove them or store them in a container so that they don't sit on the ground.
• Store lumber, campfire wood, and other wood sources on an elevated structure or a rubber mat.
• Remove tree stumps, logs, and other wood debris. 
• Contact a professional to nurse dying trees back to life or remove them as a potential food source for termites.
• Replace wood fencing with a material that termites don't eat. Vinyl is a good option.
• Replace wooden flowerbed borders with stone or some other termite-resistant material.
• Do you have wood pallets with items stored on top? Consider getting pallets made of another material, such as plastic. 
• Pick up any junk piles and store the junk in a bin. Termites eat paper, cardboard, cloth, and other materials that contain cellulose.
• Address wood-to-soil contact on structures, such as wood skirting or deck posts. The goal is to make it impossible for termites to directly enter your home from soil to wood. When they're forced to make shelter tubes, you'll have a chance to detect termite activity.
• Clean your gutters to reduce ground moisture that can attract termites to your property.
• Perform routine inspections and check for the termite warning signs we mentioned above.  

These all-natural termite prevention tips can help you deter termite activity and catch termites early. Proactive termite prevention and routine surveillance are essential if you don't have professional termite control for your property.

Do you have questions that were not addressed in this article? Give us a call. We can answer your questions and even provide some suggestions for termite control over the phone. When it comes to termite pest control in Franklin, you can trust the service team here at All-American Pest Control.