What To Do If You Have a Termite Problem

Termites. Is there a scarier word for a homeowner to hear than termites? (Besides maybe "mortgage?") Termites are a constant threat for any homeowner. Small as they are, they can do a significant amount of damage to your home in as little as 6 months, and they can prove almost impossible to spot. Sometimes called "silent destroyers," they can be secretly hiding in or near your home without any immediate signs of damage. Given that your home is often your most significant investment, it's pretty scary to think that termites could be eating away at your home right now!

You have to know how to spot possible infestations. 

There are a few tried and true ways to spot possible termite infestations in and around your home. A mature termite colony will sometimes be accompanied by temporary swarms of winged termites around doors and windows or in the soil near your home. These swarming termites are especially attracted to light, and are usually active in the spring. Other signs of a possible termite infestation include cracked or bubbling paint, discarded wings, mud tubes on the outside of your house or in crawlspaces, and wood that emits a hollow sound when tapped. Like all creatures large and small, termites also leave behind droppings, called frass. Termite frass can come in a variety of different colors, depending on the type of wood that the termite has been eating, but if you start finding mysterious tiny piles of pellets around crawlspaces or basements, you might have a termite problem. In other words, if you see a pile, and you sweep it up (thinking it's just dust), and the pile returns in a few days or weeks, you probably have a termite problem in your home.

Example of termite damage

I’ve had first hand experience with termites and I know what they can do. 

I own a townhouse in Olathe, and I'm on the Board of Directors for our Homes Association, so I've gotten to see first-hand not only the damage that termites can do, but also how difficult they can be to spot or get rid of. Since most termites nest in the ground, traditional sprays and other methods employed by exterminators are often not enough to get all the termites, which means that the problem just comes right back. Plus, with townhouses, there's an added danger: Since the units are connected together, if one unit gets an infestation, chances are they all will.

We turned to the go-to guys for termites in KC. 

That's why when we had a termite problem, we turned to the good folks at Augustine Services, the go-to guys for termite control in the Kansas City area since 1966. Their Termite Service Specialists brought in top of the line bait systems and insecticides from BASF Pest Control Solutions. BASF is the world's leading chemical company, and so they know what they're doing, and the guys at Augustine Services know how to put their tools to work. They found all of our termite colonies and took them out, and we haven't had a termite problem since.

Termites can be a pretty scary proposition for a homeowner, but not when you've got the right people in your corner. So if you suspect you might have a termite problem in Overland Park, Olathe, Leawood, Lenexa, or Kansas City, call the experts at Augustine Services and let them put your mind at ease!

This article was written by a KC homeowner, writer, and blogger who recommends Augustine Services as a provider of termite control services in the Greater Kansas City Area. Augustine Services is also a provider of carpet cleaning and air duct cleaning services. You can contact Augustine Services by calling 913-362-4399 or 816-399-5872.