The Key To Total Termite Control For Yakima County Properties

Termites are a well-known pest due to their incredible ability to digest wood, including houses, causing various structural problems and sometimes making homes impossible to sell until the infestation is under control. What is interesting about termites is that they are the only insect capable of digesting cellulose, giving them an ample supply of food without much competition. Other pests attack wood, like anobiid powderpost beetles, carpenter ants, and lyctid powderpost beetles, but do not actively eat and digest it. Termites also do not require any sleep, meaning they can feed on your home all day and night as their colony grows. If you think you might have termites in your home, now is the time to learn everything about the life cycle of a termite colony and how they reproduce. Understand how termites infest and destroy wooden structures, and discover effective quality prevention tips that are key to successful termite control.

If you are struggling with a termite infestation, Prosite provides pest control in Yakima County that you can rely on for professional termite control and the best solution available in the area. If you find signs of a termite problem, do not wait to treat it, as by the time they make themselves known, it is likely that these destructive insects have been wreaking havoc for quite a while already. From subterranean to drywood termites, our team of experts can help make your home safe and sound again.

The Life Cycle Of A Termite Colony

Termite colonies consist of worker termites, which are the ones that chew through the structure of anything wooden in your home, soldier termites that defend the colony, and reproductive termites like the king, queen, and reproductive alates. Depending on the colony's needs, a termite can become reproductive alates. The king and queen mate for life. A termite starts as an egg, then becomes a nymph, and finally becomes an adult. Neither nymphs nor workers can feed themselves, and they must rely on the worker termites for survival. If you see flying termites around your property, you are likely seeing the reproductive alates looking to mate and begin a new colony. They are not necessarily a sign that you have a termite problem, as they are still searching for a new colony location.

Termites can live a long time. A worker might live for two years, while a queen might survive for nearly 50 years, during which she will produce a lot of new termites. It takes a little over five years for a termite colony to reach its full size, at which point it will often have over a million termites. As long as the conditions are suitable for the termites, there is no reason why they would go away.

The behavior of the termites that might have invaded your home will depend on the species. Subterranean termites are underground, where they will dig tunnels and shelter tubes and are hard to detect. Drywood termites are less common but are the ones you recollect when you think of termites, as they live in walls and favor support beams as their food source.

Regardless of the type of termites that have infested your home, it is crucial to get educated on how they invade and destroy wooden structures.

How Termites Infest And Destroy Wooden Structures

We will focus on the main types of termites in the Pacific Northwest, specifically the Washington area, drywood termites, dampwood termites, and subterranean termites. All three cause an incredible amount of damage. Formosan termites are another type you might hear about, but they are a problem in the southern United States.

The subterranean termite is probably the most insidious, as it lives underground and can dig mud tubes and galleries for years before you even suspect its presence. They need humidity to thrive but are very efficient at digging their way toward a water source and rotten wood.

Dampwood termites also need wood that has been affected by humidity, but they do not need to go underground or be in contact with soil. However, they are not necessarily easier to detect as they do not dig out tunnels and mud tubes.

Finally, we have the drywood termite, which isn’t as common as the other two species in the area but can still be a problem. Both drywood termites and dampwood termites will affect the structural integrity of your home but prefer different types of wood as their name indicates. If you have dampwood termites in your home, it might be a sign of a more significant problem, like an undetected water leak.

Time is of the essence if these destructive pests have taken over your house. Successful termite control starts with effective quality prevention and professional termite control when an infestation begins to cause structural damage.

Effective Quality Prevention Is Key To Successful Termite Control

As mentioned previously, moisture issues are a significant factor in termite infestations. These prevention tips can help keep termites as far from your home as possible:

• Inspect the structure of your home, including the foundation: It will be a lot easier for termites to invade if the structure of your home has existing issues. Cracks in the foundation allow subterranean termites entry, and they cause damage as they dig out mud tubes.
• Schedule regular professional inspections: It can be challenging to detect termite infestations, especially if you are untrained in recognizing the signs of termites in your home. When you contact us, we will schedule a home inspection, and our team of experts can put your mind at ease if there are no issues or devise a treatment plan to end any existing problem.
• Remove sources of standing water: Several termites require moisture to thrive and multiply, including dampwood and subterranean termites, which are destructive.
• Ensure that your storm drains and gutters are well maintained: This is also related to moisture issues but deserves to be recognized because they are often neglected areas during many times of the year. They are also one of the main reasons why you might have foundation damage.
• Consider using dehumidifiers: You might not have sources of stagnant water indoors, but you still might have high humidity levels. A dehumidifier can help keep the humidity level low. Do not forget to empty them regularly, especially if they are in areas you might not often check, like basements and attics.

When prevention strategies are not enough, it is time to reach out to the pros. DIY or homemade termite treatments are rarely effective and will allow the infestation to expand. A termite colony only takes a few years to contain a million termites, and the more time passes, the harder it is to exterminate.

Professional Termite Control Is The Best Termite Control Solution

The best way to eradicate termites is to have a professional pest control company conduct a thorough inspection to determine which type of termite has invaded and how extensive the colony is. At Prosite, we provide the best termite protection in Yakima County that is reliable and safe. Our treatment plans are not a one-time solution that does not address future infestations. We strive to provide pest control solutions that take care of existing problems and ensure that your home remains pest-free year-round. We also offer different levels of protection to fit every need and budget while remaining practical. We only use environmentally conscious products that are tough on pests but are safe for your family and pets.

Termites cause billions of dollars in damages every year in the United States. While other pests are more likely to infest Yakima County homes, you do not want to let a potential infestation go untreated. To eradicate your infestation quickly, we will inject a liquid treatment that will both exterminate the existing colony and prevent new ones from settling in. We also offer a seven-year termite warranty with regular inspections.

Termites are destructive pests that have no place in your home but can be hard to detect when the infestation is small. Contact us at Prosite, and our team of licensed professionals will help you eliminate termites swiftly, so your home remains safe and structurally sound. We are science-driven and service-obsessed, with some of the best affiliations and accreditations in the country, making us a reliable and professional option for all your pest control needs.