Termites Be Gone: Proven Techniques for Successful Termite Control In Ventura County

Termites in Ventura County are pesky critters that may just make a meal of your home if you let them. The good news is that you don't have to let them. There are proven techniques for successful termite control. Today, we'll look at the two sides of termite control: DIY prevention and termite treatments. We'll tell you how to detect signs of termite activity early, how termite problems grow, what you can do to effectively deter termites, and how a certified termite product installer can help. When termite control is done right, you don't have to wonder if your property is protected. If you'd like to speak to someone about pest control in Ventura County, you can get fast answers by reaching out to us by phone, text, or our contact page. You can also take a peek at our termite control page to learn more. Your Ventura Pest Control service team is here to assist you.

Termite Activity: How To Identify The Signs

There are many ways termites will alert you to their presence on your property or inside the wood of your home. The signs they provide vary depending on the kind of termites you have on your property. In our area, the two most common termites are drywood termites and subterranean termites. Look for the following signs:

• Subterranean termites often build above-ground tunnels made out of mud. These tunnels are referred to as mud tubes or shelter tubes. You'll find them on your foundation walls or other hard surfaces. One tube will look like a wiggly mud line the width of a pencil.
• When subterranean termites enter your home, they may tunnel through the soil and come up to feed on materials in your yard. If you pick up a dead branch and see tiny insects that look like fat, pale-colored ants, you've found termites.
• When termites damage your home, you may see the damage. Drywood termites often make holes in the frames around windows and doors, baseboards, and crown molding. Subterranean termites cause damage to decaying wood near the ground in shaded and humid zones.
• A termite problem can begin with two winged termites. Take note if you see one land on your arm or the railing of your deck. That little insect is letting you know that trouble is about to begin. A termite swarmer has a black or orange body with long white wings. The wings of a swarmer stack on its back and are round at the tips.

Along with these early warning signs of termites, keep watch for signs of a current and mature infestation, which are the appearance of many termite swarmers on the exterior of your home or in your yard, shed wings laying on the ground or trapped in spider webs, and the sound of termites clicking inside your walls.

It is best to catch signs early because things can go from bad to worse quickly. These insects can grow large populations and slowly eat away at your property right under your feet. Let's take a look at how termites behave when they come into your yard or get into your home.

From Bad To Worse: How Termite Damage Can Escalate Quickly

The primary issue with termites in Ventura County is that they don't go away. Termites grow a colony, send out winged termites, mate, and create more colonies. The sign that a problem is about to go from bad to worse is the appearance of termite swarmers around your property. Just two of the termites in a swarm represent a new nest on or near your yard. Fortunately, not every swarmer is viable. Many of them die off during the mating process. But it only takes a few couples to increase your termite woes.

Finding termite swarmers in your home is even worse. There are a few things those swarmers are telling you. First, their nest is very close to your home or inside the wood of your home. If they're in the wood, they are likely drywood termites. If they are in the soil next to your home, they are subterranean termites. The second thing those termite swarmers are telling you is that you've had a nest on your property for years. It takes three or more years for a nest to begin producing winged reproductives. That leads us to the last thing those swarmers are telling you. Your home has more than three years of termite damage. It is best to catch subtle, early warning signs of termite infestation first. You don't want to wait until you're seeing the obvious sign of termite swarmers in your home.

Protecting Your Property: Effective Termite Prevention Methods

Long before you see warning signs of termites, you can take steps to make your property a little less appetizing for these wood-eating pests. The secret is to counteract the natural behavior patterns termites follow and to block access to your home.

Here are our best termite prevention tips.

• Use the tips provided above to routinely inspect your home and property for termite activity. Early detection is key to preventing extensive damage.
• Consider any wood debris on the ground and alter conditions that allow for wood-to-soil contact. For example, pick up dead branches and store them in a rubber bin, stack campfire wood on a platform, and remove stumps.
• Consider vulnerable building materials. If you have a wood skirt on your home and it touches the soil, trim it. If you have a wooden fence, consider replacing it with vinyl. If you have a deck with wooden posts that go down into the ground, consider removing the wood from the ground and placing the support posts on concrete foundations.
• Pick up any junk piles. Termites don't just eat wood. They'll also feed on paper, cardboard, clothing, and other materials that contain cellulose.
• Inspect your exterior and patch any tiny gaps you find. Drywood termites commonly enter homes around window and door frames. Start applying your seals around these. The tools for this job are a caulking gun, high-quality silicone caulk, and expanding foam.
• Deter moisture with sunlight and ventilation, and clean out your gutters. Moisture is at the heart of most termite problems. If you keep your wood dry, you'll prevent the conditions that attract termites to your yard – namely wood rot.   

You have many options to help you prevent a termite problem. We highly recommend taking whatever steps you're able to deter termites and watch for warning signs. What we don't recommend is the application of mass-produced termite control products. Many of these products don't work. We also don't recommend applying commercial termite products if you're able to find a place to purchase them. The manufacturers of these products certify educated pest professionals to install them, and they do so for a good reason. There are many ways these products can fail if the procedure is not followed to the letter or when appropriate inspections are not performed to evaluate the specific needs of the property. When your DIY termite control fails, you won't know it. That can leave your property at risk of extensive damage. For proactive termite prevention, such as an application of termiticide all the way around your property, contact a certified termite product installer.

Professional Termite Extermination: Know When To Call In The Experts

What time is the right time to call the experts? Our answer is simple: Anytime is the right time. You don't have to wait until you have found conclusive signs that termites have gotten into your home. In fact, waiting for this puts your property at risk. The best time to call is before termites have come onto your property. But what if you're already seeing signs of termites in your yard? What can you expect when you contact a certified Ventura County termite control professional?

If you contact Ventura Pest Control, here are some of the ways we may assist you:

• We perform inspections and reports for property sellers and buyers. It pays to find termite trouble and deal with it before you sell or buy real estate.
• We offer spot treatments for subterranean termites using Termidor, which is undetectable to termites. Why is this important? The termites pass through the product without realizing it, and they spread the active ingredient to the other termites in their colony. This leads to termite colony elimination.
• We offer tent fumigation as one way to address drywood termites. Fumigation gets into every pore of your home, eliminating all termites present.
• We offer heat remediation for drywood termites as another all-natural solution. We can perform either a whole structure or spot treatment using heat.

If you're in Ventura County and you need termite control near you, Ventura Pest Control is the right choice. We have the experience and professionalism to tackle this difficult task and give you the peace of mind you're looking for. Reach out today for help with termites and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Ventura County.