Bees and wasps sting us; ants, mosquitoes and bed bugs bite us; roaches, snakes and rodents scare us; but termites can be more devastating to our homes than all of these other critters combined. It’s an indisputable fact that termites cause more property and structural damage in a year than natural disasters do. Think about that for a moment. It’s simply mind-boggling to know that an insect not even ½ inch in length can cause more devastation annually than all the tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, tornadoes, and floods in the world.
Whether you have termite control issues in Gaithersburg or in other parts of Maryland, you need to get a handle on this potential Gaithersburg pest control issue. You need to speak to a professional like Michael Cantrell, owner of Montgomery Pest Control in Gaithersburg, which is a pest control company a little more than 25 miles northwest of Washington D.C.
Cantrell states that although termites want nothing to do with humans, they do cause more havoc to our homes than any other animal or insect he has to deal with regularly. You need to take preventative measures. Cantrell goes on to say when you want to stop termites from turning your house into a pile of saw dust, you need to be vigilant.
Subterranean termites are the species found in Maryland, according to Cantrell, and are a bit harder to detect than other species of termites. The reason being is that they enter our homes through the soil under our homes. This is why not only does the termite control company need to treat the inside of your house when trying to get rid of termites, but also should attack the perimeter around your home as well. A competent company will drill holes into the cement basement slabs, ground, and will even dig a trench around your housing structure to combat these miniature wrecking machines. Moreover, using a poison like Termidor™, which works like a virus, says Cantrell, does not only infect, and eventually kill, the termites that initially get sprayed, but also will infect the rest of the termite infestation when these termites return back the colony.
Vigilance means finding a Gaithersburg termite control company like Cantrell’s. And although companies like his aren’t the cheapest services on the market, they have tried and true effective policies that, if taken advantage by consumers, will save these homeowners money and headaches than if they went a cheaper pest control route. “You get what you pay for,” Cantrell admits. A responsible company, like Cantrell’s, will have some sort of annual inspection service that will range from $150-$200 for the year. The service plan will include an initial top to bottom inspection of your home, a complimentary termite spray, and as many additional follow-up visits as needed throughout the 12-month contract.
To get the most out of the service contract, you have to be on the lookout for clues the termites are leaving behind:
- Mud tubes
- Visible wood damage
- Saw dust on the floor
- Hollow sounding wood
- Discarded termite wings on windowsills
- Winged termites visible inside or outside your home
By having annual termite inspections, using effective pesticides, and being diligent about observing the tell-tale signs of a potential termite infestation, will keep your house safe and sturdy for many years to come.