Termites... What You Need to Understand as a Homeowner

There are basically two types of homes in Arkansas, a house that has termites and one that is going to have them. Got your attention yet?

These native insects serve a natural purpose in nature by breaking down the dead wood fiber in the forest into organic material thereby nourishing the soil and completing the ecosystem lifecycle.

They are constantly sending out scouts to find new sources of fiber in order to maintain the colony by traveling underground looking for the right type of “Food” for their next meal. The problem lies in the fact that they cannot differentiate between trees and your house, which happens to be made primarily of wood products such as wall framing, the paper face of the sheetrock and other types of forest harvested cellulose materials.

It is inevitable that they will attempt and be successful in entering the house through cracks in the foundation, under concrete slabs and under siding materials, particularly when the materials are in direct ground contact.

The best strategy, since we know that they will show up uninvited, is to have annual visual inspections done by a qualified inspector looking for telltale signs of their entrance points and the small mud tunnels they use to protect themselves from light and dryness. (See Photo Example)

When discovered, specialized chemical treatment can applied in order to both kill and deter the colony which is most often found six to eight feet underground somewhere in the vicinity of the house and if done properly will provided a long term solution to future infestation.

The worst strategy is to ignore this inevitable event and simply stick your head in the ground which will not work as a deterrent, even though that’s where they live…