You might think termites are not really your problem if you live in the Los Angeles area. However, the fact that California is a dry state doesn’t mean we get a break from termites. In fact, the moisture in your home might just attract even more termites since it's one of the only available sources of moisture around. To make matters worse, drywood termites don't even need moisture to invade your home! All this means termites need to be high on your Los Angeles pest control priority list.
Why A Termite Infestation Can Go Unnoticed For A Long Time
Termites might live in colonies with queens like ants do, but unlike carpenter ants, termites eat the wood they live in. This means there aren’t many reasons for termites to leave their nests. Since you aren’t likely to see termites out scavenging for food, termites can go much longer in your home without you noticing than ants.
Where you might start to notice an ant infestation right away as workers wander around your kitchen, a termite problem can go for months or even years without you knowing it's there. Keep in mind that while this is going on, the termites are damaging your home the entire time.
Why And How Termites Infest And Destroy Homes
Termites have a very important role in the natural ecosystems they reside in. They eat dead wood and inject vital nutrients back into the soil when they digest and expel what they eat. In the forest, this means all the nutrients from dead trees get put right back into the soil to feed living trees at a much faster rate.
However, termites sometimes decide that the wood in your home is a better option to fulfill their needs. This might be because you water your lawn a lot, so there's plenty of moisture around where there might otherwise be none. It might be because your home offers easy access to rotten or soft wood that termites find appealing. It may also be just an unfortunate coincidence that termites happened upon your house.
Whatever the reason, once termites invade your home, they will do severe damage. Termites can weaken the structural integrity of many different components that hold up your home, including floor joists, wall studs, and support beams. If you let this go on long enough, it can cause your house to literally start falling in on itself. This is why termite control is not something you can ignore.
Why It Is So Hard To Get Rid Of Termites On Your Property
Many people think that at-home termite treatments are sufficient to meet their termite removal needs. However, this is rarely the case. Termites are extremely tough to get rid of because their colonies are complex and often massive entities that spread out from the original source, plus they often occur deep within the structure of your home. All this to say, you really need professional help to eliminate a termite infestation.
The Best Way To Protect Your Los Angeles Home From Termites
If you start seeing signs of termites in your home, it's an emergency that needs to be dealt with right away. Some common indicators of termite activity include:
- Termite swarms
- Termite damage
- Termite frass
- Mud tubes around your foundation
- Piles of shed wings
If you notice these signs around your house, don't hesitate. Act now by calling the termite experts at A Step Above Pest Control & Termite. Our professional-grade tools and unbeatable expertise can ensure that your termite problem becomes a thing of the past and stays that way. So don't wait until it's too late to avert damage. Click or call today for termite pest control in Los Angeles!