There are positives and negatives associated with termites. They play an essential role in our ecosystem but can cause significant damage to homes. Fortunately, there are ways to keep termites out of your house and allow them to continue helping the ecosystem. Read on to learn more about termites and how Mobile pest control professionals can keep them out of your home.
The Role Termites Play In Our Ecosystem
Termites in Mobile play an essential role in our ecosystem in multiple ways, especially in subtropical climates like Mobile. These insects prefer to eat dead cellulose, a primary component of wood. As a result, they eat the dead wood off trees which keeps these objects from piling up.
When termites eat wood, they release the carbon it produces as methane and carbon dioxide, two essential greenhouse gasses. This process helps keep the earth's temperature suitable for life.
Termites also have a positive impact as they dig into the ground. They poke holes while burrowing, allowing rainwater to soak deep into the soil instead of running off or evaporating. This action helps the soil retain its nutrients and resist erosion.
How Termites Can Slowly And Silently Destroy Your Home
Termite colonies usually live in nests located underground in the soil and near food sources. Since these insects consume cellulose, houses are an attractive option. They start in your yard and expand the nest until it's close to your home. When the nest gets next to a wood structure, the termites sometimes move up for more food and cause damage.
While termites regularly feed on soil and wood, they consume almost anything containing cellulose. The biggest concern regarding termites is the house itself, but they can also cause damage to other items in your home, including carpets, cardboard, and fabric.
While they typically eat cellulose, these pests sometimes chew through items without this substance. In fact, they can chew through anything softer than their mandibles, including drywall, foam, plastics, and thin sheets of lead.
How quickly termites damage your Mobile home depends on multiple factors. Colonies vary in size, and larger populations will eat through a structure quicker than smaller ones. In most cases, termites take three to eight years to cause significant damage to a house.
The kinds of termites also impact how quickly they cause damage. Formosan and subterranean termites reproduce, eat, and spread quickly, causing significant damage in less than a year. Meanwhile, other types perform these tasks much slower, so it takes longer to cause visible damage.
Termite activity typically declines in colder weather, resulting in less damage when the temperature drops. However, these pests feed as they do in warm climates when they get protection from the cold. Houses are usually kept warm during the winter, so these insects feed faster than they would outside.
When termites invade your property, call the best termite company near you. They'll inspect your property to determine the type of termites and how much damage they can cause. They'll also get the pests out of your home before they impact the stability of your house.
How To Remove Factors That Attract Termites To Your Home
The best way to avoid termite damage is to remove attractants. These pests prefer damp wood and usually reach their food source through the soil. Keeping wood away from your home and the wood around your house dry will help you avoid a termite problem.
Some tips to keep termites away from your Mobile home include:
- Redirect water away from your house's foundation.
- Repair leaks in pipes, faucets, and air conditioning units.
- Ventilate crawl spaces, basements, and attics.
- Store wood at least 20 feet away from your house.
- Keep soil away from any wood near your home.
- Seal openings or gaps around entry points into your house.
These tips will help to keep termites away from your home. However, if these pests get into your house, call a local termite company to handle the situation.
The Best Way To Protect Your Home From Termites
Termites can cause severe damage when they get to your home, eating the wood that holds up your house. If these pests are getting close to your home, call EnSec Pest & Lawn before they cause irreparable damage. Our service team members will inspect the interior and exterior of your house to find termite activity and develop the best treatment to get rid of a termite infestation. We also provide follow-up visits to ensure the treatment is successful. Call us today if termites are threatening your house, and get started on our effective termite control services in Mobile.