Discovering termites attacking your home can be a traumatic experience. If you have and/or suspect these micro-sized wood-eating insects call us ASAP for a free inspection and evaluation. Know the signs of termites in Phoenix Az.
Signs of Termites 602.308.4510
“If you own a home in Arizona it may be helpful to know the signs of termites.”
Arizona termites are cryptic and often difficult to detect. Every day 100’s of homes across the valley are invaded. Even more frightening is that many of these infestations will go undetected for months, years, and decades. Often the first inkling of a problem is when hidden damage is discovered. By then the repairs can be expensive.
These discreet invaders can be tough to discover by untrained eyes. Left undetected they can inflict significant damage. To help keep damage to a minimum, it is crucial to catch the warning signs as soon as possible.
Quick Signs you may have a termite problem include:
- Mud tubes along the outside foundation
- Strings of dirt hanging from the ceiling.
- Pinholes in drywall
- Random specks of dirt appearing on baseboards.
- Discolored or drooping drywall
- Peeling paint that resembles water damage.
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
- Buckling wood floorboards
- Crumbling, damaged wood
- Dirt Maze-like patterns in furniture, floorboards, or walls
- Mounds of dry fecal pellets
- Piles of insect wings
- Swarming winged insects
- Unexplained wood damage
Termites Phoenix Arizona
TERMITES…just the mention of that word is enough to strike fear in most Phoenix homeowners. Most residents are aware of the national reputation that Arizona termites have for inflicting destruction. It’s often repeated that there are only two types of homes in the Phoenix area…those with termites and those that are going to get termites. As you read this 1000s of homes across the valley are secretly under attack and many of these infestations will go undetected for decades.
The bad news is: Not all Arizona termites are the same. Arizona has at least 17 species that have different habits, appearance, and physical size. Depending upon the type they can invade from underground, above ground, via flight, or be imported. Arizona termites are active all year and work around the clock eating wood.
The good news is: Not all species are a threat to your home or require expensive treatment to remove.
Protect your Home with a Free Inspection
The best protection against infestation is a yearly termite inspection by an experienced termite exterminator familiar with all types of Arizona termites. While most termite exterminators are familiar with the more common species, few have the experience to detect less common types of termites. Missing the subtle signs of less common termite species can be a costly mistake just as paying several hundred dollars for an unnecessary termite treatment because the termite exterminator misidentified the termite species.
If you have termites or merely suspect you might have them…the first step is to get a termite inspection. In the meantime be on the lookout for the signs of termites in Phoenix Arizona.
More Signs of Arizona Termites
- Termite shelter tubes protruding from the soil upward along a home foundation – subterranean termites travel above the ground inside dirt like shelter tubes. These tubes protect them from predators and are like a highway system guiding them to the food source from their nest and back
- Piles of granular looking fecal pellets – Drywood termites live in the wood they infest and discard fecal pellets from inside their galleries
- Damaged wood with galleries and hollow out wood – Damage that runs along the grains of wood, containing soil or fecal pellets is a sure sign of termites
- Shelter tubes hanging from a ceiling – Native (Heterotermes) subterranean termites found only in the Sonoran Desert region are the only species to build shelter tubes hanging from the ceiling. With heavy infestations, these tubes are short cuts from the food source (your home) back to their nest.
- Small pinholes in the drywall – As termites forage they often build small pin-holes through the drywall. Pin-holes are usually lined with soil by subterranean type termites and fecal pellets when infested by Drywood termites species.
- Excessive ant activity inside your walls or nearby wood – Ants are competitors and predators so it’s not uncommon to see large colonies of ants attracted to termite infestations.
- The dirt inside wood members – Most subterranean termite species must travel inside mud tubes and galleries. These tubes and galleries protect them from predators and guide them to and from food sources.
- Presence of ant-like insects with wings and/or clear wings in window sills – All termite species swarm at least once a year. Winged reproductive’s fly from their nest, discard their wings, and mate. Often this happens during low-light times of the day and the swarmers are attracted to lighting and windows where they discard wings.
- Sawdust piles near window sills, baseboards, or wood trim – Drywood termites live within the wood they infest and often discard fecal pellets via kick holes from their nest. Cone-shaped piles of fecal pellets are a sign of drywood termites.
- Foraging tubes of soil protruding from expansion joints in your garage or abutting slabs – Some species of subterranean termites nest under concrete slabs and forage into your home via expansion joints and stress cracks. Average temperatures inside your garage are lower than outside and given limited direct sun inside garages are conducive to termite infestation.
Termites in Phoenix Arizona
Bills Termite Control is your hometown termite exterminator providing safe, effective termite control Phoenix services for your home or business at affordable rates. Bills Phoenix Termite Treatment service is family owned and locally operated by Arizona natives familiar with all species of termites in Phoenix Az. Recommended by local realtors, home inspectors, title companies, and other exterminators when they encounter an infestation beyond their resources. Bills has been a trusted name in termite control Phoenix services for three generations. With this trust comes peace of mind that we can detect and eliminate all species of termites.
Free Termite Inspection Phoenix Service
Bills Pest Termite Control provides free termite inspection Phoenix services along with termite reports for a real estate transaction and home loan. If you have or suspect termites don’t panic call for our free termite inspection Phoenix service. We will dispatch a trained expert to professionally inspect your home and provide a detailed termite inspection Phoenix report if termites are found. We can also point out areas around your home that may be attractive to future infestation and offer suggestions on a correction.
Got Termites? TEXT 602.786.7386
If you’re buying a home in the Phoenix area you want an experienced exterminator to professionally inspect the property and provide a detailed termite inspection Phoenix report. Bills Termite Control provides detailed computer-generated reports that are available upon completion. For more information about signs of termites Phoenix give us a call today.
Signs of termites Phoenix Az 602.308.4510
Related: Home Buyer Inspection – Holes in Drywall – How do I know if I have termites – Inspection Scams – Termite Damage
