Effective Termite Control Service in West Central Florida

What are subterranean termites?

Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. In nature, subterranean termites are beneficial. They consume dead trees and other wood materials that would otherwise accumulate. The result of this digestion process is dead wood being recycled to the soil as humus. In Central Florida there are an average of 12 underground colonies of subterranean termites per acre consisting of as many as a 500,000 termites.

Problems occur when subterranean termites attack the wooden elements of human structures — homes, businesses and warehouses. Their presence is not readily noticed because they hide their activity behind wallboards, siding or wood trim. You typically will not see these termites unless you break open infested wood. The workers are often described as looking like little white maggots but they can be darker depending on the wood they are eating.

Why do I have them?

Subterranean termites do not know the difference between a dead tree and a 2×4 wall. Their entire existence is spent foraging underground looking for food. When they come in contact with the foundation of your home they instinctively know to follow the foundation upwards till they find wood. Your home is typically protected by a preventive barrier applied during the construction process. Sometimes these barriers are not applied or applied in a partial manner to save money. At other times the barrier simply fails for various reasons. Once termites find a unprotected path into your home, they focus the entire colony on the new food source and will stay there until the access points are closed by the application of another barrier.

What are the signs to look for?

Subterranean termites are very difficult for the homeowner to find until the termites have been in the home for several years. They do not leave visible droppings like drywood termites and the first sign is either swarming flights or visible damage. Swarming flights occur from November through April in central Florida depending on the sub-species. Winged adults swarmers are black or brown and about 3/16 inch long. They fly to light and you will usually find them at or around the windows. There can be just a few swarmers or there could be hundreds. If you find them inside this confirms an active infestation. The damage that is most often found by homeowners is to baseboards. Someone bumps a baseboard with a vacuum and it caves in. Other damage includes doors that suddenly stop closing properly, weak spots in wood floors, and window sills that begin to look funny. The most vulnerable areas are the walls around bathtub or shower drains and the exterior walls, especially at bay windows and adjoining slabs. If you see any of these things, call for an inspection because this usually means an active infestation.

Are they dangerous?

Subterranean termites  cause more than $5 billion in damage each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and windstorm combined. They pose no health risk to people or pets but they attack wood products of all kinds. They can cause severe structural damage if left untreated. The average homeowner is not able to identify the early warning signs, so it is important to get a licensed termite inspector to check your home or business. Builders and contractors are not usually licensed or qualified to perform such inspections.

How do I stop them?

Subterranean termites are a pest that almost always requires professional help to get rid of. The first step is to determine how and where the termites are getting into your house. A subterranean termite treatment puts a barrier between the foundation of your house and the termite colony. It is important to treat all of the structure and not just the area of the current infestation. Doing a spot treatment will only cause the termites to find another entry point and in a short period of time you will be dealing with the same problem and more damage in a different area of your home. The treatment methods and locations will vary according to the type of foundation that you have. Ask your inspector to explain this for you. If he can’t explain it then he may not be adequately trained. A knowledgeable termite inspector should also be able to tell how many gallons of termite product will be needed to properly treat your house. If he can’t, you’re probably just talking to a salesman and you should find someone who can answer the technical questions. The Bug Doctor provides inspections and estimates for free and all of our termite inspectors have over 10 years experience.

How do I prevent this in the future?

The only way to prevent future subterranean termite infestations is to protect the foundation of your home with a product that leaves a safe residual treatment behind. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DIAGRAM ABOVE, THIS CAN BE A VERY COMPLICATED AND PRECISE TREATMENT AND IS NORMALLY NOT SOMETHING A HOMEOWNER CAN PROPERLY DO THEMSELVES. The Bug Doctor only uses the safest and longest lasting products available today to protect your home from these devastating insects. Using the best products, applied TO THE CORRECT LOCATIONS IN THE CORRECT STRENGTHS by certified technicians, has made it possible for us to protect over a thousand Central Florida homes with zero retreats since 1998. Finally, and most importantly, be sure you have an active termite warranty on your property and have annual inspections by a Florida certified wood destroying organism inspector.

Termite Baiting – Why We Don’t Recommend It.

The newest move in the termite industry involves treating subterranean termite problems with bait stations. On the surface it seems like a win-win situation for everyone. The customer gets a treatment that does not require any drilling into the foundation of their house, no chemicals are applied around the house, and the customers are told they are acquiring the most technologically advanced method of treatment available today.

However, the company is able to sell this service at a premium price that has the highest profit margin of any of the termite services they offer. Termite baiting also requires a high frequency reinspection schedule that creates additional recurring revenue for the company. If the customer later decides that they can no longer afford the frequent inspections, the warranty expires, the company removes the bait stations and walks away from future liability.

In reality, termite baits only work if the termites quit eating the real wood from the house and start eating the fake, treated wood placed in the yard around the house. Would you leave a grilled ribeye on your dinner table for a plate of hotdogs on the patio?

The Bug Doctor only treats your termites with products and methods that will continue to protect your house for many years after the treatment. Even if you decide not to continue with your warranty, your house will remain protected.