Did you know….

Subterranean termites are colony-destructive feeders that cause three times more damage to homes than fires, storms, and earthquakes combined.
 The US has an estimated $5 billion in property damage inflicted every year by termites. A million homes contract termite infestation each year (about one in thirty). Termites are like little time bombs waiting to go off. They can wait for a decade or so, and then they’ll suddenly transform into swarms of insects that the average homeowner would likely never see coming.
 Once termites find an entry point into your home, you are all but handing them a feast. Lumber, doorframes, wood panels and flooring, sheetrock/walls of textured walls like wallpaper (or even drywall), books are just a few of the things that can be on the menu for these tiny creatures. A termite leaves a chemical trail to notify other termites that food is nearby.
Catastrophic events happen quite often; In terms of property damage, termites top the list because they tend to cause widespread damage without ever making a sound.
A single-family house typically holds four to six termite colonies under its foundation. Every day, hundreds of termite queens lay more than 1,000 eggs in nests. These high numbers can reach the millions when you consider a single nest’s potential to produce 3 million new workers!. When trying to eliminate termites to prevent an infestation, you need to kill the queen.
When warmer temperatures and rain trigger reproductive termites, swarmers leave their colony to find new nesting sites to expand their territory, winged adults typically make their way out of this specific area in  March or April and, depending on temperature, can last through the early portion of May. When the queens and kings reach their destination, they pair up with each other. When mating occurs, there is usually an attempt to find appropriate nesting grounds.

 How to prevent a termite infestation:

Homeowners can take many measures to help prevent the infestation. Preventive maintenance is crucial, and insect monitoring devices are great for keeping tabs on any insects not seen during regular inspections. Termites are mainly solitary creatures who live to eat and reproduce. That’s pretty much it on their daily agenda.
Termite s prefer to live in damp, dark spaces where they can easily access food sources. They often reside inside woodwork and soil near structures. To avoid infestation, never allow the wood to come into contact with the ground. The woodwork on a home includes siding, porch steps, latticework, and various other elements like doors or windows.
Also, minimize or avoid using mulch near the foundation. Termites are attracted to food sources such as mulched landscaping, so make sure not to include any woody materials in the ground around your house. Store firewood and scrap lumber away from your home, and never place cardboard boxes on the floor of your garage.
Termites need moisture and can’t survive if it’s not present. Don’t allow condensation on your ACs near the foundation. Properly functioning gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks can divert excess water away from your foundation for a safe house for termites.
Termites are a common homeowner problem that can be caused by excess water build-up. Reduce humidity in basements with a dehumidifier and crawlspaces using a combination of encapsulation, sump pumps, and dehumidifiers.
Termite infestation is a huge problem, and the surest way to prevent it is to hire a professional that can conduct a termite inspection and put up barriers that will keep them out.
Too many homeowners neglect to have a termite inspection in their home when they buy it. This unfortunate oversight as some preventative maintenance today might save you thousands of dollars down the road.

Information Provided by -Jim Roese Home Inspections