One of the most feared pests of Glen Carbon, IL homeowners are termites. These pests are one of the worst kinds of insects you would want to have in your home. In the United States alone, termites cause billions of dollars in damages each year. They can be hard to detect early on as they will mostly hide behind your walls or other covert areas of your home. You may be able to catch signs of their presence from the outside of your home. Here we will explain some ways you can find termites around the outside of your home.
Checking For Any Areas With High Moisture
When you are looking around the outside of your home in Glen Carbon, IL for termites, one of the most important things for you to be on the lookout for is any areas with high amounts of moisture under direct sunlight. These kinds of areas can include mulch beds, by a fallen tree, or even under downspouts. If you see some insects that look similar to ants, you may be looking at some termites. Have the area treated if you know what you are looking at are in fact termites.
Looking For Damaged Wood
If you have any wooded structures outside your home like a swing set, a table, or some chairs, it is important to check them for any damage that could have been caused by termites. You can tell that these pests have destroyed wood not only by the way the wood looks but also by the sound it can make. Termites will hollow out the inside of wood which you can try to listen for. Wood that has been affected by these pests is also a lot weaker and easier to crumble for no obvious reason at first.
Termite Mud Tunnels
Termites will create mud tunnels that you might find outside your home building upwards. The tunnels are used by these pests as their nest. The tunnels can be the size of a pen and are created by the material the termites can find like soil, wood, or feces. Not only will these pests use the tunnels as their nest, but they will also use them to get from place to place.
If you notice any of these signs of termites outside your home in Glen Carbon, IL, be sure to contact our team of professional exterminators over at American Termite and Pest Control today!