How to tell if your home is infested with termites..

Do You Have a Termite Infestation?

How to tell if your Sacramento area home is infested with termites:

• Winged termites found indoors usually indicate an infestation needing treatment.
• Determine if it is a termite or a winged ant, which can swarm during the same time of year. Termites have straight antennae, uniform waists, and equally-sized wings. Winged ants have elbowed antennae, constricted waists, and longer forewings than hind wings.
• Termites are attracted to light and are often seen around doors and windows. This doesn’t necessarily indicate an indoor infestation as they could also be originating from outdoor locations such as tree stumps or woodpiles. However, if winged termites are seen coming from the base of the foundation wall or other adjoining decks or porches, there is a good chance that the house requires an inspection and treatment.
• Earthen or mud tubes extending up from the foundation’s walls and support beams are another sign of a termite infestation in your home. The mud tubes are usually the diameter of a pencil but sometimes larger. A mud tube with no visible sign of worker termites does not necessarily indicate the lack of an infestation, just that the tube is no longer being used.
• Damaged wood from a termite infestation will be hollowed out along the grain. There will also be bits of mud or soil lining along the grain. Wood damaged by moisture or other insects will not have this mud/soil. Rippled or sunken places in wall coverings can also be an indicator that termites are tunneling underneath.
• However, if the tubes happen to be empty that does NOT necessarily mean there isn’t an infestation. It just means that the tube is no longer being used.
• Damaged wood from a termite infestation will be hollowed out along the grain. There will also be bits of mud or soil lining along the grain. Wood is damaged but moisture or other insects will not have this mud/soil. Rippled or sunken places in wall coverings can also be an indicator that termites are tunneling underneath.
• There are often NO telltale signs that an infestation is living behind your walls or under your home. Termites are sneaky characters and infestations can and do go undetected for years.
• The only way to be sure if you have a termite infestation or not is to have a professional come and do a comprehensive inspection.
• El Dorado County and Sacramento Termite Inspection are available.

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