When it comes to common household pests, termites are among the most problematic. You likely know that these bugs pose a serious threat to a home and require immediate attention from a termite removal company, but you may not be aware of the different types of termites and the damage they cause. Here's what you should know about three of the most common varieties of termites and the devastating effect they can have on a house.
Subterranean Termites
According to our internal resources, subterranean termites are the most prominent urban pest in Arizona. These termites thrive in moist environments, meaning that they may be attracted to your home if it has poor drainage or ventilation. They eat the wood of a building from the inside out, so the damage may not be immediately visible. However, without proper attention, the problem can escalate quickly and may even result in a home completely collapsing in extreme cases. Subterranean termites may also damage materials like paper, fiberboard, rubber, and cotton.
Drywood Termites
As their name implies, drywood termites prefer environments with dry wood, and they may gain entry to your home through wooden furniture or firewood. These termites can survive a long time because they don't require a lot of moisture, and multiple colonies can exist within a small space. Over time, they chew tunnels across the wood grain in structures such as beams, rafters, and siding, causing significant damage to a home.
Dampwood Termites
Much like subterranean termites, dampwood termites require moisture to thrive, and they may be found in homes with clogged gutters or drains, leaky pipes, or broken ventilators. Like drywood termites, they chew wood across the grain to cause extensive structural damage, but their damage may be hard to spot because they use their feces to cover the holes they make.
Termites of all kinds are a threat that shouldn't be taken lightly, so it's important to have a reliable termite removal company eliminate them from your house as quickly as possible. If you suspect that your home may have termites, contact Essential Pest Control today so our professional team can rid you of the problem once and for all. We have the necessary skills and expertise to keep your home safe and pest-free.