Southampton – Every year, often in spring after winter rains and depending upon the location in the U.S., termites begin their annual swarm, flying out of their nests and taking up residence in homes to eat the wood and cause expensive damage.
Drywood and subterranean termites (coming up from the ground) are the most destructive insect pests of wood, causing more than $1.7 billion in damages and control costs each year in the U.S.
Drywood Termites And Your Attic
Of particular concern to homeowners are a species of termite call Drywood Termites. Drywood termites often establish nests in roof materials and wooden wall supports accessed under eaves. Despite being capable of surviving on low wood moisture they are also found in wood associated with a water source such as a leaky pipe or water heater. They need remarkably little water to survive and thrive in your attic or walls.
Drywood termites derive their nutrition from cellulose in wood. Within the termite’s gut are large numbers of bacteria and single-celled animals called protozoa. The protozoa produce enzymes that digest cellulose causing the breakdown of wood particles to simpler compounds that termites can absorb as food. The immature termites consume wood and share their nourishment with the developing young, soldiers and reproductive termites.
Moisture is not as important to Drywood termites as it is to subterranean termites. Drywood termites require no contact with the soil or with any other source of moisture. They extract water from the wood on which they feed, and also produce water internally during the digestive process. They require as little as 2.5 to three percent moisture, but prefer wood with 10 percent moisture content.
46 million homes in the U.S. are under-insulated and need Termite protection
“TAP Insulation leads a new generation of pest management and energy efficiency and adds real value to a home,” said Bill Turk, co-founder and CEO of Pest Control Insulation Systems, the manufacturer of TAP Insulation. “Comprised of more than 85 percent recycled material, TAP utilizes borates, long proven as less toxic than synthetic pesticides, as its active pest control ingredient; and is the only EPA and Energy Star labeled pesticide that saves homeowner’s money through lower utility bills.”
Borate-Based Pest Control
TAP (Thermal Acoustic Pest Control) Insulation is a specialized, blown-in cellulose insulation that is installed on top of existing and often inadequate home attic insulation. The product is an ingenious fusion of two proven technologies – borate based pest control and premium cellulose insulation – resulting in a patented, Energy Star labeled pest control insulation with superior fire-retardancy, sound-deadening and pest-controlling properties.
EPA-labeled and acceptable for use around humans and pets, TAP helps control termites, cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and many other crawling insects.
TAP is 32 percent more energy efficient and superior to traditional insulation and. It takes less energy to heat and cool a home when TAP is installed. TAP also results in less waste during installation – any unused product is recycled through the blowing machines and not thrown in the trash.
Tips For Keeping Termites Out Of Your House
- Termites need wood and some moisture. Limiting their access to both will help protect your home – and there are some simple prevention steps to take that may help you avoid expensive termite damage.
- Basically any wood – fence posts, trellises, shrubbery, even tree branches that is touching both the ground and your house is a threat. Eliminate all outside sources of wood that are in contact with your house.
- Fill-in any cracks in the building’s foundation, piers or walls to keep termites from walking into the house.
- Fix roof and attic leaks quickly. If your house is raised or on stilts, check to see if water is leaking under the house from bathrooms and kitchens.
- Leaky faucets, plumbing and air-conditioning can create water sources for termites inside the house or around the foundation.
Surviving The Swarming Season
Swarming season is generally between April and July. Seeing a swarm near your home or even finding a few of the bugs in your house in generally not a cause for concern – it could mean you live near a nest.
Turn out the lights – interior and exterior lights from around dusk to about 9:30 p.m. Termite swarmers are attracted to light.
Swarms coming from inside the house, garage or other structure are a sign of infestation and require a pest control expert to assess the situation.
If swarms originate from your trees or shrubs, you may want to call a pest control expert to see if the termites are a threat to structures and, possibly, termite treatments for the trees.
About Pest Control Insulation Systems
Pest Control Insulation Systems (PCIS) is the market leader for pest control insulation. The company’s patented TAP (Thermal Acoustic Pest Control) Insulation is an EPA-labeled cellulose insulation combined with borates that provides an environmentally friendly approach to pest control and energy conservation for residential and commercial customers.
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