According to the United States Department of Agriculture, termites cause 5 billion dollars of damage annually. For an average homeowner, the damages could reach $3000 or more from an infestation. Termites love warm and humid places, so Georgia is an ideal home for termites. At Turin Pest Control, we combat termites daily and win. Our crew is ready to help you retake control of your home and minimize damage. Being prepared for a termite swarm is wise for any homeowner. You could spare your home from significant repairs through acting wisely.
Why Do Termites Swarm?
When a termite colony grows to a certain size, they are ready to expand. Termite colonies generally reach capacity about once a year and prepare to swarm. As a part of this swarming process, hundreds or thousands of specialized winged termites are produced for the purpose of expanding and reproducing. A swarm lasts about 30-40 minutes as the flying termites will try to find a way out of your home to reach soil to reproduce in. If the termites are unable to find soil, they will die within a few hours from dehydration. This is why homeowners will come home and find a bunch of termites stuck at window sills or around furniture if the swarm was unsuccessful. In a lot of cases, homeowners are unaware of termites in their home until a swarm occurs. A swarm can happen indoors or outdoors, but obviously you want it nowhere near your home.
What You Should Do
Take a deep breath and do not panic. This will be exceptionally difficult when you have termites swarming in your home, but it really is important. Avoid spraying bug spray like a maniac. Not only will bug spray be ineffective, but it will be a waste of your money and efforts. Follow these steps to manage the swarm.
- Try to Contain Them in One Room—Never try to seal up their tiny exit holes since they will make more, but you can shut the door to try and keep them in one room. You could try to place plastic bag in an exit hole to catch them in.
- Pull Out Your Vacuum—Vacuum up the termites and then dump the entire bag in your outside garbage can. They will die inside the bag since they cannot reach soil.
- Collect a Sample—If possible, save a bag of the termites to show us when we arrive. We can build a more effective solution by knowing the exact type of termite in your home.
- Call in The Professionals—Hand over the sample and let our termite professionals get to work. We will build a customized plan to effectively rid your home of termites. We can also provide documentation of the damage for your insurance company.
Tips For Avoiding Termites
- Minimize Moisture Around Your Foundation
- Store Your Firewood Away From Your House
- Keep Your Plants and Trees Around Your House Well-Trimmed
- Schedule Termite Prevention With Turin Pest Control
Whether you currently have termite house guests or want to avoid them in the first place, Turin Pest Control can help. We deliver customized pest control to eliminate your current problems and prevent future outbreaks.