Why You Need a Termite Inspection (especially in TN)

You have clicked on an article titled “When You Need a Termite Inspection.” Uh oh. There is some suspicion in your home, right? The first reason to have a termite inspection is because it’s always better to be safe than sorry. But just for giggles, let’s keep talking about it.

Termites will put any wood into their victim list of feasting. (You know how much wood is in your brick home, right?) So stay one step ahead of them. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Google images of termite infestation if you need any more convincing to take this very seriously.

First off, you should get a termite inspection at least once a year. Inspections are complex and you can be there for the whole thing. Our certified inspectors will check every crack and crevice of your home. They will usually want to show you any areas of concern so that you can be well informed about the state of your home and be able to make smart decisions regarding a plan of action. These inspections are so important, we offer a FREE Annual Termite Inspection.

What are some signs you need an inspection?

The first time that it’s important to get a termite inspection is when you are buying or selling a home. Imagine buying a $100,000+ infestation, only because you didn’t do your due diligence? If you are selling a home and you do not provide a termite inspection, you can be held liable for claims laid on your later, even if the termites showed up after you closed the deal.

If your neighbor has a termite problem, it is time to call the pest professionals at Absolute Pest Control! Termites can travel, just like you. Especially if your neighbors’ homes are within a few hundred feet, you are looking at a great formula for personal infestation.

Keep in mind that termites eat twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They don’t only eat wood, but they also cause major structural damage to your home.

In between pest professional (or exterminator) visits, do your own visual inspection. Search the damp areas of your home, especially around wood. If you have a crawl space, grab a flashlight and get moving! You may see termites clustered together, especially around rainfall.

Termites create mud tunnels if they can’t eat something. If means if they run into a brick, they move along in the mud, until they find more wood. These tunnels are about the width of your pinky nail.  Also, look for darkening or blistering wood. If you are really serious, poke your wood with a screwdriver. Check and see if it caves under the poke.

Routine termite inspections are paramount in keeping your home safe from termites. Do you think you are okay/ Then don’t worry about it. Play the odds. But if you think your home might be as vulnerable as all the others, then call a pest professional like us and have your home checked out.

If you find a swarm (cluster of little white-ish worms anywhere in your home) it’s time to call an exterminator immediately. The subterranean termite may infest your home for up to three years before a swarm appears.

A final sign of termites is “coffee grounds” on your floors. When termites eat through wood or mud to find more wood, they excrete what they eat. The excretion looks like coffee grounds. However this stuff is no where near your Starbucks bag. And don’t kid yourself, coffee grounds on your nightstand is not careless caffeine consumption.

Again, you should have a termite inspection once a year at minimum! However, if you see any symptoms around your home like stated above, call Absolute Pest Control at 615-220-1933 right away.