The Dangers Of Waiting For A Termite Inspection

They don't call termites "silent destroyers" for nothing. These wood-eating pests can elude the most watchful eyes. In fact, termites eluded the watchful eyes of the White House staff for years, until the day a swarm of termites was discovered a few yards from the West Wing. So, if you're thinking about waiting till you see the signs of a termite infestation before you call a professional to do an inspection, you might want to reconsider.

Why are termites so sneaky? Well, there are actually several reasons. We'll give the top four.

• Termites live their entire lives inside. The outside air is dry and will cause termites to die if they are exposed to it for long. For this reason, termites live in the moist soil or entirely inside the wood they are feeding on.

• Subterranean termites, the most destructive termites in the United States, come up from the ground to chew their way into homes. It is only after they have been feeding on your home for years that you may begin to see termite swarmers. These winged termites are the only caste of termite that will go out into the open air.

• Termites are quiet. While it is true that termites bang their heads on tunnel walls to communicate with each other, and that you may be able to hear a termite infestation if you put your ear up next to a piece of wood they are feeding inside, the noise they make is quite subtle.

• Termites don't leave many clues to their presence. If you have drywood termites, you may see tiny, hard droppings littered on your window sills, or piled up in a basement nook. These termites push their droppings out kickout holes. But, most people don't recognize these droppings for what they are. If you have subterranean termites, you may be fortunate to see mud tubes on the side of your foundation walls. But, these tubes aren't always present, and they can often be found in hard-to-get-to places.

While drywood termites are not established in New York State and are most likely to only be a threat when they are transported into the state inside furniture and other wood items, subterranean termites are a significant threat here. Don't let subterranean termites take you by surprise. Have Parkway Pest Services install the Sentricon® System and stop subterranean termite damage "before" it happens. Sentricon is the only termite system that has earned the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, and is widely recognized as the most effective deterrent for subterranean termites. There is no better way to protect your equity.