Florida is an amazing state. It is also one of the most unique states in the nation. It offers sunny beaches on both sides of the state and beautiful usually sunny weather all year, so it is not hard to see why so many people want to live here.
If you decide to move to Florida and buy a home, you will have to consider a few of the "problems" with Florida, namely termites. In Florida, drywood termites are often the name of the game, and keeping them out of your biggest investment is an absolute must.
What You'll Notice
You might think that you are familiar with termites. If you're thinking moist, damp places, you're not thinking about drywood termites. Most drywood termites will spend an entire life cycle right inside the sound, dry wood of your home. You'll only ever see them when they swarm to form new colonies.
If you do have drywood termites, you're going to notice a number of different things. First, you might see fecal pellets in various places. They're fairly rigid and are just the size of a grain of table salt. They're usually light tan in nature, and they might be found right outside the colony, where they've been kicked out or even inside a spider web where they got caught.
You may also notice alate wings in various places. These are sexually reproductive termites that leave to find a new colony. Once they finish the swarm and establish the new colony, they shed their wings, so you'll find them outside the actual colony in fairly conspicuous places, like a window sill.
Damage is really the only other way to detect the presence of drywood termites without professional help. If you happen to notice any wood in your home that sounds hollow or dull when it's tapped, it's time to bring in the termite professionals. If you're remodeling and you see carefully carved galleries in the wood inside your home or tunnels that cut across the grain of the wood, there's a good chance you're going to need the help of termite control services in the near future.
What You Can Do
Preventing drywood termites is really the only thing you can do on your own, and there are actually several prevention methods that may work well. If you're just building, you may want to make sure your contractor uses borax derived wood preservatives to help keep them out. Commercially pressure-treated wood, too, can help keep them out.
Remember that drywood termites won't even try to get in if you have a solid coat of paint on any wood surface. Before you paint, though, seal up any cracks or crevices with wood putty to keep them out.
You'll also want to dump any spots outside that are proving an invitation for termites. Lumber, firewood, or even a scrap pile are important ways termites can make the jump into your home.
The Next Step
If you suspect you have a drywood termite infestation in your home, please contact Slug-A-Bug today. Off the shelf methods just won't cut it during termite season. To learn more, contact us today.
