If you live in the West Palm Beach or Boca Raton area, then you probably already know that invasive termite species like the Drywood Termite and Subterranean Termite are a problem. These pests have been known to cause hundreds, even thousands of dollars worth of damage to Florida houses and office buildings. Unfortunately, most Palm Beach home owners are unaware they even have a termite problem until it is too late. It might surprise you to know that termites do more economic damage on an annual basis than fires, floods, tornados and hurricanes combined. Termites may be small, but the billions of dollars worth of losses they cause around the world each year is certainly not! If the weather conditions are ideal, a Queen termite can live for over 25 years, even up to fifty. Once established, a Queen termite can lay close to 2,000 eggs per day. This gives you an idea of the great magnitude of damage these pests can have on a building in just a matter or years.
What's worse is homeowners insurance doesn't even cover termite damage. Only damage from sudden, unexpected events such as a fire or flood are covered by homeowners insurance, because termite damage is something that can be avoided with proper maintenance, treatment and annual inspections, it does not fall in this category. However, for most Palm Beach residents, it is an unexpected problem. Colonies can be active for over five years before the damage is ever visible. After forking over thousands of dollars, too many Palm Beach home owners have had to learn the hard way that preventative measures are key when it comes to these pests.
So what can you do? The first step is looking at all the wood in your home. Moist wood is particularly attractive to termites. Wood that is wet or cold to the touch is what they prefer to feast on. Examine window sills, eaves and doorways to detect if there is interior damage. Try your best to remove the moisture in the wood both in and around the exterior of your home. Make certain that water is draining away from the building's structure, and make sure not to stack wood piles, logs or cardboard boxes next to your home's wall as well.
Another thing to look out for is wings, in areas like window sills, this is a good indicator that there is termite activity in your home. Wings found around your home could be from reproductive termites that have flown from the colony and shed them afterward. Also, look for termite tubes, Subterranean termites do not live inside wood, rather they construct their colonies under the ground and build tunnels out of dirt that connect to the ground to travel to and from their food source. Using a hammer to check for hollow spots in wood is another good way to detect these destructive pests.
If you suspect you may have a termite infestation, you need to take action immediately and contact a
http://www.protectivepestcontrol.com/termites.php service to have a termite inspection performed and extermination if needed. Practicing such prevention methods is absolutely essential, always be on the lookout for termite indicators and perform regular inspections of your home.