How Can I Tell If I Have Termites in My Commercial Property?

Home Tips

Termites can cause a lot of damage in your property. They may bite through a lot of the materials and can ruin the integrity of your building. And they can often sneak through small cracks in the foundation, finding the wood and causing a lot of damage at the same time. Often these termites will be silent and hard to find, which allows them to cause a ton of damage around the property without getting caught.

The good news is that commercial property owners will be able to look for some of the common signs of termite activity to determine whether they have a serious issue with termites that they need to worry about. Some of the signs you should watch for to determine whether termites are causing a problem in your commercial property include:

Tapping Sounds

Many property owners may wonder what termites sound like or if they will even be able to hear the termites at all. Soldier termites are known to bank their heads against the wood while they are trying to heat it. They can also make some sounds as a way to signal there is danger to some of the other termites around them.

The termite soldiers who would cause the most damage are actually fairly noisy eaters if you know what to listen for. If you place the ear close to the wood that you think has termites in it, there is a high chance that you will be able to hear something through the wall that shows the termites are there.

The Early Summer Swarm

Termites are often going to reproduce after a swarm of their winged forms emerge in the spring or early on in the summer. These swarms are unique in that they will come straight from the ground. If you see that this is happening, know that it is termites. If you do not see the swarm, it is possible that you will see a lump or a large collection of little wings close to the foundation of the property.

When you notice that this is happening, it is time to call in the pest control specialists. They know what to look for and can ensure that the termites are not able to take over the area and cause a lot of damage in the process.

Hollow Wood

Termites love to eat as much wood as possible. Hollow wood is a big sign that there are termites that are in your building. If you are doing some repair in the commercial property and you start to notice there are some holes or hollows in the wood frame, this is a sign that a termite family has spent some time feasting there.

Sometimes you can do a quick check for the termites to see whether they are on the property. You can do this by rapping your hand onto the wooden sections of the home, especially somewhere close to the ground. If this sounds hollow, then you may have termites to thank for the mess.

Tiny Mud Tunnels

Nothing is going to scare a termite more than being out in the elements for too long. That is why they will live inside the wood that they eat and then build tiny tunnels of mud along, around, and near their colonies for some of the moving around that they need to do. If you start to see some little mud tubes, which are often no thicker than a pencil, along the walls, then this is a sign that the termites have been there for some time and have their own highway system to utilize now. You will need to call the right pest control specialists to take a look and get the problem fixed.

White Looking Ants

It is common for property owners to mistake termites with ants. It is sometimes difficult to spot the difference between the two insects because they are similar in shape and size. The difference between the ants and termites is the coloring of them. Ants are more likely to be dark in color, such as black and red, while termites will be lighter in color, usually more of a white.

You may also find that it is hard to tell the difference between a flying ant and a flying termite. One way to know this is to look for some of the discarded wings. The termites are more likely to lose their wings after they mate. If you notice that you have a white ant-looking insect or some tiny wings that were discarded, then this is a big sign that you have some termites that you need to have taken care of.

Choosing the Right Pest Control Specialists for Your Needs

Termites can cause a lot of damage to your commercial property, especially if you are not able to notice them right away within the property. As soon as you notice that there are signs of termites on the commercial property, it is important to call in the right pest control specialists to take a look at the property and make sure that they are removed and kept away from the property to keep it safe.

There are many great pest control specialists in the area, but you need to go with one who has experience handling termites and other pests within a commercial property. This will ensure that your staff and customers will be kept safe, while also removing the pest to avoid health and sanitary issues. Don’t try to handle the termite issue on your own. Hire the right pest control services to get the work done.

When you are looking for the best in commercial pest control, you must make sure that you hire professionals who know how to get rid of the pests in a manner that is safe and effective for your commercial property. Our team at Sprague Pest Solutions in Marysville is here to help with all of your commercial pest control needs. We understand the importance of keeping pests out of your commercial property and we are happy to work with you to get those pests under control to keep you safe all the time. Whether you need commercial cockroach control or other pest removal services, trust our team to help get the work done.