Help! Termites Are Taking Over My Phoenix Home

Termite control in Phoenix is much more important than many Arizona homeowners might think. The fact that we live in the desert doesn't mean we don't have to deal with termites. In fact, our arid environment can sometimes make termite problems even more likely. Keep reading to learn more about these destructive pests and how Green Home Pest Control can prevent them from taking over your home.

What Are The Signs Of A Termite Infestation?

Termites are some of the hardest pests to spot in your home because of the fact that they eat the wood they infest. This means that termites can go long periods of time without leaving their nests because they don't have to scavenge for food.

Thus, unlike ants and many other kinds of infestations, you might never see termites, even if you have many of them on your property. For this reason, you'll have to look for other signs of termites, including:

• Pinholes in drywall

• Mud tubes around your foundation

• Frass piles

• Hollow-sounding walls

• Piles of long white wings

• Termites swarms

When termite colonies send out swarms of reproductive adults to start new nests, this is a surefire sign that you have a termite problem because adults rarely fly very far from the originating nest before pairing off. 

Reasons And Factors For Termite Infestations

Termite control can be difficult in Arizona because many termite species need moisture to survive, and that can be hard to come by in the desert. There might also not be a lot of wood around, meaning they may have no other option but to invade your home.

Things that attract termites to your yard can be so innocuous you might not even think of them. For example, mulch around your foundation can often usher termites into your home by providing them moisture and wood contact. Watering your lawn may also attract termites because your yard has more moisture than any other nesting site around. 

Wood-to-home contact is also a major termite attractant. If you have firewood piles against your home's siding, trees that touch its roof, or mulch pressed up against its foundation, these factors can facilitate termite entry into your home, as can rotten or water-damaged wood components in your home. 

How Professionals Get Rid Of Termites

Termite treatments done by professionals are much more thorough and effective than any termite removal product you can buy from the store. Here at Green Home Pest Control, we trench around your home and apply an effective treatment directly into the ground to ensure these pests cannot access your home.

For active infestations, we also use bait stations. These stations attract termites to the product, which they subsequently spread to other individuals, eventually eliminating the whole colony. Thus, we can help you get rid of existing termite infestations and prevent new ones. 

The Key To Preventing Future Termite Troubles

Getting rid of termites once they have already invaded your home is time-consuming and difficult. Therefore, the best way to control termites is to prevent them. The good news is there are plenty of things you can do to make your home less attractive to these destructive pests:

• Eliminate all wood-to-home contact around your home.

• Fix moisture problems like condensation or poorly draining soil.

• Keep all mulch at least six inches away from your foundation.

• Repair wood rot around your home, as soft wood is easier for termites to invade. 

Taking these steps can help make your home less convenient for termites to invade, encouraging them to move on. However, termites can be desperate and determined to get into our homes if they have nowhere else to go, so you may wind up needing professional termite removal despite your best efforts. If that's the case, the experts here at Green Home Pest Control are just a click or call away.