Houston is a gorgeous and thriving place to live: beautiful homes, neighborhoods, and communities. But, there is an unseen problem. Termites.
These small insects are some of the most damaging bugs found in Houston. Their favorite food is wood, and they can do serious damage to homes or wooden areas of any building or structure.
Termites are busy and never stop swarming, mating, and looking for food. They are most active in the Spring when they rise from the ground and swarm, grow wings searching for a new place to nest.
As a homeowner, you should be aware of what they look like and the signs you may have a problem.
Let’s take a closer look into three of the most common and damaging termites found in Houston and surrounding areas.
Formosan Subterranean Termites
These types of termites are aggressive and are flourishing in Houston. These species were found in America around 1950 and are the cause of millions of dollars in damage to homes and structures in Houston every year.
Formosan Subterranean build nests underground and come up to eat through the wood above their nest. They do not come in through windows or doors. Instead, they eat through the wood above to get into your home and cause major damage.
Look for discarded wings in and around your home, plus you can know their presence by mud tubes around your home.
Native Subterranean Termites
These extremely destructive creatures are very common in Houston. You can spot these insects by their black swarms in the early spring when they swarm.
They are black and are known to nest underground for many years before emerging in search of food. Look for discarded wings around your home. If you see these signs, have a professional treatment immediately. Native Subterranean causes major damage and destruction to your home, costing you thousands in repairs if not found and eliminated.
Drywood Termites
These wood devouring insects are very social and live in large colonies. These termite types do not have worker termites, only kings, and queens. Their purpose and goal are to reproduce and eat wood to keep on making more kings and queens. Drywood termites are found in attics or dry crawl spaces. They prefer dry wood as the name implies and eats wood structure and framing in your home. They will cause severe damage to your home’s wood structure.
You should be on the lookout for any signs of termites to protect your home from damage. If you see winged insects in your home in the early spring, don’t hesitate to call in a termite control professional.
Treating for termites requires professional treatment. Having your home inspected and treated regularly will prevent damage and protect your investment.
Termites can cause major headaches and thousands in damage to your home. They should be treated immediately, and we recommend routine yearly preventative treatments and inspections to keep your home safe from damaging termites.
If you would like to learn more about fighting termites or suspect an infestation in your home, give Third Coast Home and Commercial Services a call and Schedule an Inspection. Call us today at 281-713-0132!