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How do you know if the termites are gone?

Termites are destructive pests that can cause serious damage to homes. If you’ve had a termite infestation, you may be wondering how to know for sure if the termites are completely gone after treatment. Here are some signs that can help determine if your termite problem has been successfully eliminated.

No New Evidence of Termites

After professional termite treatment, the first sign that the termites are gone is that there is no new evidence of termite activity in your home. Look carefully throughout the house, especially in areas where you noticed termite damage before, like along baseboards, window sills, or drywall. Check for signs like:

  • Mud tubes – Shelter tubes termites build to protect themselves as they travel between their colony and food source.
  • Swarmers – Winged reproductive termites that swarm when looking to start new colonies.
  • Damaged wood – Wood that looks chewed, hollowed out, or riddled with tiny holes.
  • Discarded wings – After swarmers land and lose their wings, the wings are often left behind.

If you don’t find any new termite damage or activity within 3-6 months after treatment, it’s a good sign the infestation has been eliminated.

No Evidence of Living Termites

In addition to looking for signs of damage, check for living termites themselves. Inspect the areas around plumbing, bathrooms, basements – anywhere moisture accumulates. Use a flashlight to look in cracks and crevices. If you find no live termites after treatment, it likely means the colony has been destroyed.

Annual Inspections Come Back Clear

For long-term peace of mind, have a professional pest control company conduct annual inspections after termite treatment. A technician will thoroughly check inside and outside your home for any termite activity. If several inspections over the course of a year come back showing no sign of termites, it’s a reliable indication the infestation has been cleared.

Termite Bait Stations Show No Activity

Termite baiting systems are a common treatment option. Bait stations containing wood and termite food are installed around the property. If termites are still active after treatment, they will find and feed on the baits. Technicians can then inspect the bait stations and confirm if termites are present. If stations continue to show no termite activity over time, it means the termites have been eliminated.

No Signs of Alates Inside

Alates are winged reproductive termites. If the termite colony was not completely destroyed by treatment, alates can potentially swarm indoors from an existing outdoor colony. Seeing no alates swarming or appearing inside the home is a positive indicator that the termites have been fully eliminated.

Wood Probing Shows No Infestation

Probing wood around the house using a tool like a screwdriver tests if termites are still feeding on the interior wood. If probing reveals no hollow, damaged, or eaten areas, it’s a good sign there are no active termites inside that wood.

Termite Dogs Detect Nothing

Trained termite detection dogs can sniff out termites in a home with high accuracy. If brought in to inspect after treatment, dogs can confirm the absence of termite scent. If termite dogs make multiple passes through the home over a period of months and detect nothing, it’s reliable confirmation the termites are gone.

Moisture Issues Have Been Corrected

Termites need moisture to survive – if conditions become too dry, the colony dies off. Take steps like fixing plumbing leaks and improving drainage around the foundation. If moisture issues that could sustain termites have been remedied, it becomes much harder for them to remain alive in the home.

lifespan:

Here is a quick overview of the typical lifespan of different castes of termites:

Termite Type Lifespan
Workers 1-2 years
Soldiers 1-2 years
Reproductives 2-5 years
Kings and Queens 15-25 years

Workers and soldiers have the shortest life span of just 1-2 years. The winged reproductive termites known as alates live slightly longer, around 2-5 years. But kings and queens have significantly longer life spans of 15-25 years. Eliminating the king and queen is key to destroying the entire colony for good.

Signs of a Previous Infestation

Even if termites appear to be gone after treatment, they can sometimes leave behind signs of previous activity. Here are some indicators that your home had termites at some point:

  • Mud tubes – Even after termites are gone, dried mud tubes often remain stuck to foundation walls or wooden structures.
  • Hollow damaged wood – Wood damaged by termites can feel hollowed out when probed, even if active termites are no longer present.
  • Swarmers – Dead termite swarmers or discarded wings may remain visible even if the colony is eliminated.
  • Piles of wings – Wings can accumulate in piles where swarmers have emerged over time.
  • Frass – Sawdust-like material called frass can collect under floors, wall voids, or other areas.

Even after termites are successfully treated, these signs can persist for some time. Their presence alone doesn’t necessarily mean termites are still active in the home.

When to Call a Professional

If there are any signs of new termite activity after treatment, contact a pest control professional right away for a re-inspection. Don’t delay – termites can do immense damage if an infestation is not fully eliminated. Even if you see no new evidence of termites, it’s smart to have annual inspections for at least 3-5 years after treatment to ensure they don’t return.

Preventative Measures

After eliminating termites, take proactive steps to help prevent them from invading again in the future:

  • Reduce moisture sources around the home that attract termites.
  • Ensure wood siding, fences, landscape timbers, etc. have proper clearance from soil.
  • Seal cracks, holes, and entry points on the home exterior.
  • Replace damaged wood with treated lumber.
  • Stack firewood and mulch away from the foundation.
  • Clear dead trees and stumps from the property.
  • Install monitored termite bait stations around the perimeter.

Treatment Options

There are several effective treatment methods professional exterminators may use to eliminate termites:

Treatment Type Description
Liquid termiticide Termiticide liquid insecticide applied around the home’s foundation.
Termite baits Stations with wood and termite food are installed to draw termites out.
Foam termiticide Expanding insecticide foam used in walls and other confined spaces.
Fumigation The building is sealed and filled with gas to kill termites inside.
Termite-resistant materials Concrete foundation, steel framing, or treated lumber resistant to termites.

The right treatment depends on factors like the severity of the infestation and construction of the building. A combination of methods is often used for maximum effectiveness.

Signs of Termites

Look for these common signs of a termite infestation:

  • Mud tubes and shelter tubes along foundations, walls, and wooden structures
  • Hollowed out wood that sounds hollow when tapped
  • Discarded termite wings around windows, doors, and crawl spaces
  • Damaged wood that crumbles easily when touched
  • “Kick-out” holes in wood where termites push out debris
  • Swarming winged termites, especially in spring
  • Cracked or bubbling paint or drywall

If you notice any of these warning signs, have a professional inspect and confirm if termites are present before they cause serious damage.

Dangers of Termites

Termites pose several risks if left uncontrolled:

  • They can eat through wood, destroying structural integrity of buildings.
  • Their tunnels weaken foundations and cause concrete to crack.
  • They damage flooring, drywall, furniture, books, and other cellulose materials.
  • Termite damage is often hidden, so infestations may go unnoticed until major harm is done.
  • Their presence lowers property value and makes homes difficult to sell.
  • A heavy termite infestation can cause walls or structures to collapse.
  • Repairing extensive termite damage is expensive – often $3,000-$5,000 or more.

That’s why it’s critical to detect and eliminate termites as soon as possible through professional pest control.

non-chemical termite control

For those wishing to avoid pesticides, there are some non-chemical options to help control termites:

  • Use termite-resistant building materials like concrete foundations, steel framing, or treated lumber.
  • Install physical termite barriers like sand or stainless steel mesh.
  • Use baits with borate compounds that kill termites after being consumed.
  • Introduce beneficial nematodes to soil that parasitize and kill termites.
  • Alter moisture around the home and eliminate water leaks termites need.
  • Install see-through polymer barriers that allow termite detection.
  • Use traps that lure termites in but prevent their escape.

However, even with non-chemical methods, treatment is often required around the building’s exterior. Completely preventing termites without some use of pesticides is very difficult.

Conclusion

Having a professional termite inspection and treatment is the best way to eliminate an infestation and prevent costly damage. With diligence, monitoring, and preventative maintenance, recurrence can be avoided. If you take the time to thoroughly check for signs of termites and address any issues found, you can rest assured knowing your home is safely protected from these destructive pests.