When to get a termite treatment

The management of termites consists of prevention and treatment. As a homeowner, there are several options to prevent termites from getting into your home. –University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

No one finds evidence of termite activity then waits to see how it’s going to play out. Most of us know exactly what it means. (Property destruction is in-the-works and we need to begin damage control now.) But there’s a timeline of events that gives even greater clues to when to get termite treatment.

When To Get Termite Treatment Is Time-Sensitive

For one, termite treatment doesn’t work very fast. If an infestation was just a few termites, you could attempt a DIY (do-it-yourself) termite treatment. These rarely work and it’s a waste of time and money. Plus, you may not have much time.

Termites never stop eating. The 60,000-1 million arid land subterranean termites in your walls are wreaking havoc with your subflooring and support beams.

1. Termite colonies eat about a pound of food (wood and other building materials) every day.
2. Termites can destroy a single 2×4″ stud within 5 months.
3. If left untreated, termites can bring down an entire home within 8 years.

There are several high-tech ways to detect termite activity (microwaves, infrared, lasers, etc.). There are even trained termite-detection dogs. All these methods are more cost-prohibitive than a single “boots-on-the-ground” visual inspection by an experienced termite elimination professional.

Termite Tubes Indicate Colony Development

If a reference point of a time when an area was not infested can be discovered, the age of an infestation can be estimated. –Homesteady.com

Termite tubes are a working termites’ subway. They can be built on any surface, and it only takes a few days for termites to build a mud tube. It may take a couple of weeks to get the mud tube fully functional.

If you come across a termite tube, leave it undisturbed until your local termite professional can examine it. If we tap on the termite tube and termites fall out, that’s an easy clue. Termites are actively infesting your home. An inactive termite tube means there was a previous termite infestation.

It’s often easier for people to move into an older home than build a new one. Termites also prefer the ease of reinfestation at a previously constructed site. Empty mud tubes are like a welcome sign to termite soldiers.

Either way, you need a termite inspection.

Termite Lifecycles

Termites have 3 lifecycle stages: eggs, nymph, and adult. All eggs and nymphs look alike, but adult termites can be identified by their roles. Adult termites are either:

• Queen/king – Help excavate the colony “nest” then become primary reproductives
• Reproductive – Secondary termites that breed to grow the colony
• Soldiers – Protect the colony
• Workers – Build the colony/provide food for other termites

When to get termite treatment depends on the type of treatment. If you live in Arizona, you need preventive termite inspections. No matter where you live if you see signs of termite activity, you need termite extermination scheduled immediately.

Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination is the Valley’s expert company for termite extermination and prevention. We have extensive knowledge of termite lifecycles and treatments, and we’re eager to share that information with you.

If you don’t have termites, you might be doing something right! Ensure you don’t get termites with preventive termite treatments. Termite treatments are much less costly than emergency extermination.

The happiest property owners are people that investigate termite cause, effect, and treatment. You can learn a lot online. Let us share what we know. For additional information, call Budget Brothers today.