How To Know If You Have Termites In VA | 3 Warning Signs Of Termites

What are the warning signs of termites? As a Virginia homeowner, this is an essential question to ask in order to safeguard your home from these wood-damaging insects. Because termites cause billions of dollars in damage each year in the United States, early detection can make all the difference when it comes to preventing costly termite damage. Knowing what the warning signs of a termite infestation can help property owners act before it’s too late.

winged termites and discarded wings are clear signs of termites

Termite swarmers

One of the first warning signs of a termite infestation is the appearance of swarmers after the weather warms up. Swarmers, the reproductive members of a termite colony, are flying termites that branch off from an existing colony to find mates and establish new colonies, and they're not exactly discreet about it. Because they can be mistaken for flying ants it can be hard to determine which insect is swarming. That said, termite swarmers have thick, dark colored bodies with no pinching at the waists. They also have straight antennae and clear front and back wings that are the same length.

Termite mud tubes

Termites travel from their underground termite colonies to food sources inside mud tubes to avoid drying out and predators. Mud tubes are about the width of a pencil and are constructed out of soil, wood, and termite saliva. These protective tunnels typically extend from the ground and run along foundations, in crawl spaces as well as basements. They can also be found on walls and ceilings.

Termite damage

Unlike carpenter ants that do not eat wood but only nest in it, termites consume wood and products made from cellulose material. What’s more, they eat wood from the inside out. That means you could have a termite infestation in your home and never know it because the outer layer of a wall is completely intact. Termite infested wood sounds hollow when tapped on. Other signs of termite damage inside a structure includes:

Crumbling or buckling wood
Swollen floors
Sagging ceilings
Darkening or blistering of wood
Uneven or bubbling paint
Doors and windows that are hard to open or shut

What to do if you find signs of termites in your home

If you’ve found a pile of termite wings on the floor or have noticed other signs of termites in your home, do not panic. Do not ignore the problem either because it will not go away. The best way to deal with a termite infestation is to contact licensed termite exterminators. At Getem Services, we offer effective termite control services in Norfolk, Chesapeake, and throughout Hampton Roads that eliminate existing termite activity and prevent new termite colonies from developing.

How Getem Services gets rid of termites for good

When you reach out to our Virginia pest control company for help with termites, we’ll start by inspecting your property to:

Confirm termite activity & determine the severity of the problem
Evaluate termite damage, if applicable
Look for conditions that would attract termites
Develop a plan of action based on what was observed during the inspection

Once we’ve completed the inspection, we’ll go over our finding, explain our treatment process, and schedule your liquid termite treatment.

How effective is liquid termite treatment?

At Getem, we use America’s #1 termite defense product, Termidor®. This liquid termite treatment kills termites through contact and ingestion. That means any termite that encounters the product will not only unknowingly ingest it, but they’ll also transport it back to the colony and “transfer” the material to other members. The result is the complete elimination of the colony, including the queen.

Termidor also creates a barrier of protection around the perimeter of the structure that ensures new termite colonies cannot establish.