North Carolina remains the tenth riskiest state for termite infestations in America. If you live in Mooresville or surrounding areas, you need to start thinking about your infestation risks and how you plan to get termites back out after an infestation arises. This article can help you do just that by taking a closer look at termite activity in North Carolina. Once we teach you how to identify the signs of termite presence, we also outline their damages so you know what you can expect going forward. Looking to get rid of or prevent termite infestations? We also explain what it takes to get rid of populations and stay termite-free with practical prevention tips. Now, let’s dive into the details of termite control in Mooresville and beyond.
Termite Activity: How To Identify The Signs
There are many wood-destroying insects you can easily spot around your home. Unfortunately, termites in Mooresville aren’t one of them. These sneaky insects take their time picking apart your property, quietly infiltrating your home and feeding on available wood from the inside out. Since the signs of termite damage aren’t readily apparent for three to eight years on average, you could sustain a great deal of damage without ever realizing there’s a problem.
So how can you identify termite activity in your home? And what does it take to hone in on infestations? It’s best to start with subtle signs of termites and work your way up to more obvious symptoms. For example:
- Hunt around for termite mud tunnels, or mud tubes, around your home. These are the conduits that termites use to transport food from your home to their colony. You may find these snaking, clay-like structures running up basement walls and crawl spaces. However, termites can also infest higher-up areas like attics, lofts, and roofs.
- Look for active termite swarmers, also known as alates, near the doors, windows, and entry points of your property. These sexually mature termites appear once or twice per year to find a suitable mate and create a colony of their own. Spotting one or two ‘clouds’ of termites outside doesn’t usually cause much concern. However, finding signs of swarmers inside your home could indicate a growing infestation.
- Keep an eye out for wood that looks darkened or blistered or for bubbling or blistered paint. These could be signs of termites toiling away underneath the surface, weakening structures and introducing moisture.
Lake Norman Pest Control recommends getting a termite inspection at least once per year for the safest results. Not only can you quickly reassess the standing of your home, but you can rest easy knowing that trained professionals couldn’t find any problems with your home. You can give our team a call at any time to schedule a termite inspection for your property.
From Bad To Worse: How Termite Damage Can Escalate Quickly
Termites remain a homeowners’ worst nightmare when it comes to property damage. Although these tiny terrors may not look very threatening up close, their ability to destroy the value of your home is well-documented by scientists and construction professionals. Infestations cost more than five billion dollars each year in the United States alone, not including the toll of stress and mental anguish caused by these wood-destroying pests.
Termite damage is typically separated into three distinct categories: damage to your curb appeal, damage to your structure, and damage to your property’s equity. Although these different factors have varying impacts on your property, they all play a role in the impact termites have on local properties.
Damage to your curb appeal speaks for itself: when termites eat through cosmetic wood, it reduces the appeal of your home. This may include firewood stacks, framing around doors, or wooden steps on your porch or patio. It may or may not be structural in nature and does not necessarily put loved ones at risk.
Damage to your structure is caused by more dangerous termite activities, particularly those taking place inside basements, attics, floors, and crawl spaces. Hungry insects hollow out the insides of beams, pillars, and studs, causing your walls to warp, your floors to bend, and your home to buckle under its own weight. You may notice the early stages of this damage when windows and doors become difficult to open or close.
These two situations lead to one inevitable outcome – a loss of home equity from your bottom line. It may be next to impossible to sell your home to another buyer or even refinance your current mortgage to get a better price once termites are discovered inside. Remember: termite damage can lead to the collapse of your home, which means entertaining an infestation for any amount of time could put you and your loved ones at risk. Many buyers would prefer to avoid this chance.
Fortunately, there are solutions that can help you get rid of termites quickly. It all starts with seasoned pest control professionals – including the experts at Lake Norman Pest Control.
What It Takes To Get Rid Of Termites: Call The Experts
Termite infestations are like rain in the summer: it’s simply an inevitability that no amount of planning can fix. Even if you’ve applied all best practices to your property, it’s only a matter of time before you come face-to-face with hungry termites. That’s not a reflection on your ability to prevent infestations but rather a testament to the termite’s perseverance and determination.
Leaving your property vulnerable to termite infestations can be a dangerous game to play. Unless you secure professional termite control services from a trusted local pest control company, you may be putting yourself and your loved ones at risk for expensive repairs.
Lake Norman Pest Control is one such company, serving Mooresville homeowners with years of expert services. We’re passionate about helping locals get the peace of mind and protection they deserve, which is why we’ve invested heavily in our residential termite control programs. Our three-step service program offers everything you need to rest easy long after termite treatments take effect.
We offer:
- Free inspections that evaluate the entire expanse of your home. We quickly and confidently report termite infestations (or the lack thereof) so you can act promptly before the situation gets worse.
- Termite baiting systems through America’s number one termite control system – Sentricon® System with Always Active™ technology. This ensures we remove the entire termite colony without compromising the integrity, safety, or security of your home.
- Termite warranties for active damage post-treatment. Your building may qualify for covered damage repair. Feel free to give us a call and learn more about your options.
If you are buying or selling a property in or around Mooresville, keep in mind we also provide wood-destroying insect inspections (WDO reports) to speed along the home buying or selling process. Whether you’re looking to refinance or buy your first home, we can help you make informed decisions before signing on the dotted line.
Get in touch with Lake Norman Pest Control today to discuss the termite control options available to you. We’d be happy to get started with a complimentary quote so you can make an informed decision for you and your family.
Stay Termite-Free: Helpful Tips To Prevent Reinfestation
So you’re ready to apply termite prevention tips to keep infestations away from your yard. However, you’re not sure exactly what to expect (or what you need to purchase to get started). Thankfully, Lake Norman Pest Control has collected a few of the most effective termite prevention steps that you can start using right now. As long as you can spare a little extra time and attention, you can work on preventing termite infestations in just a few minutes per day.
Start by:
- Re-stacking any firewood piles around the outside of your home. You should be careful to throw away soft or rotted wood that can invite termites inside. Also, be sure to stack logs properly, no less than 25 feet away from the sides of the home. If you notice the signs or symptoms of live termites, immediately contact Lake Norman Pest Control.
- Get the moisture content around your property under control. This means installing dehumidifiers, desiccant bags, and silica containers in strategic areas. Outside the house, try mowing the grass more frequently and pruning back large shrubs. Removing any places where termites can hide will help you stay safer for longer.
- Remove any soil to wood contact that may be present outside the home. You may want to replace landscape mulching with peat stone, river rock, or planting sand. Have any rotting stumps near the sides of your home? It may be wise to get a removal estimate to cover all your bases.
Each of these tips provides some level of protection against the potential of termite infestations. However, you should know they don’t guarantee a termite-free home – you may need more comprehensive solutions to keep your property safe.
If you’re interested in signing up for termite control in Mooresville, you can contact Lake Norman Pest Control for a free quote today. We look forward to serving you and your loved ones with the highest-quality protection money can buy.
