Nashville is one of the friendliest cities in the US. It was once called a Music City and is known for its delicious food, vibrant culture, and friendly people. But along with the joys of living in Nashville come to a few pesky pests that can cause major problems if not dealt with promptly. One of those pesky pests is termites, which find their way into homes easily and can wreak havoc on your home before you even know they’re there.
So, how do you know if you have a termite infestation in your Nashville home? Here are a few signs to look for:
- Swarms of Flying Termites – You may see swarms of flying termites, also known as “swarmers,” during the spring and summer. Swarmers are attracted to light, so you may see them flying around windows and doors or near a porch or other outdoor area.
Swarmers are often mistaken as ants with wings, but termites have equal wing sizes, while ants have front wings larger than their back wings.
- Piles of Termite Droppings – You may notice piles of small, hard pellets near areas where termites are present. These droppings, also known as frass, consist of wood chips, soil, and other materials from the termites’ feeding activity. Termites make these pellet-like deposits when they forage around lumber or other cellulose materials, which are then expelled and stored by termites onsite.
- Damaged Wood – Termites eat and damage wood, making it necessary to look for signs of structural damage in your home caused by them. This can be anything from buckling floorboards or walls to evidence of termites on the baseboard trim and other wooden structures in your home.
- Mud Tubes – Termites need moisture to survive, so they build mud tubes from the ground up your home’s foundation walls to get to wood sources inside your home. These hollow tunnels serve as termites’ highways, allowing them to travel safely from their main colony to their intended destinations. These tubes are built from the soil, bits of wood, and termites’ feces, and they can run up foundation walls or along roof eaves or window sills in search of food.
- Noise – If you are hearing a faint clicking sound in the walls or floor of your home, it could be termites. Termite activity is one of the tell-tale signs of termite infestation – they create hollow tapping and clicking noises, as they cause serious damage to the structural integrity of buildings. In addition, these insects produce “sounds” that act as communication signals when disturbed or disturbed by something else.
- Hard to open windows and doors – Windows and doors can be difficult to open when termites have established an infestation. Termite colonies create underground tunnels that destabilize some of the structure’s support beams, and as termite damage worsens, the wood begins to warp and contract. This drying and shrinking can cause window frames and door jams jammed or twisted, making them hard to open or close.
If you notice any of these signs of termite infestation, contact a professional termite treatment company to inspect and treat your home immediately to avoid further damage. Termite damage can be extensive and costly, so acting quickly is important.
How to prevent termite infestation?
Preventing a termite infestation in your Nashville home is the best way to protect it from costly repairs later. Some of the best steps you can take to prevent these pests from entering your home include:
- Seal any cracks in the foundation of your home.
- Reduce moisture around your home by fixing plumbing leaks and installing gutters.
- Eliminate food sources, such as wood piles, firewood, mulch, etc., from near your home.
- Store wood at least 20 feet away from your home’s foundation.
- Check for any signs of termites regularly.
- Make sure that all gutters, drains, and downspouts are clear of debris and direct water away from your home’s foundation.
By taking these preventative steps, you can help ensure that termites never enter your Nashville home. If you think you may have a termite infestation, contact a professional pest control company as soon as possible to get rid of them and help protect your home from further damage. A trained exterminator can evaluate the situation and develop a customized treatment plan tailored to your needs. With their help, you can keep your home safe from the damage caused by termite infestation.
