There’s a small grinding noise in the house while you try to sleep. Even with it’s minute, almost obscure presence, often, it can be an irritation robbing you of sound sleep. So you switch on Mozart or System of a Down, or whatever other form of sound you prefer to rid yourself of the nuisance. That kind of ignorance and indifference is a mistake of the gravest kind. One fine day your home may simply collapse. That incessant hum is from a few million, may be billion strong jaws slowly gnawing away your precious home; wood, furnishing, rubber… an army of unfathomable prowess, elusiveness and tenacity in taking away your home. Termites have arrived.

It’s not a horror movie if you felt my introduction to the issue was very stereotypical and 1930 Hollywood horror flick inspired. It’s a true life horror for ones who’re living it. With the presence of termites being obvious rather deep into the damage; and often the infestation not visible at all with the miscreant’s subterranean habits… it really is nightmare. In America, from Hawaii to Alaska, this persistent and hardy little warrior has sunk it’s teeth in almost all realty. Their damage to property is legendary, surpassing even their less subtle better named cousins, the Carpenter ant. Termites can really practically ‘tear your house down’; no jokes, folks. With the foundation of the house being at risk; and the termites capable of housing up in deep concrete, any house is potentially another big pile of food to this miniscule menace. The problem of termites is so real, that with termite inspection, termite inspections laws have had to be instated to make sure people can collectively fight the problem eating away national and private property indiscriminately.

Termites are about 1/8th of an inch to about an inch depending on whether you’re looking at a worker of the queen. Like their well known and hard working cousins, the ants; termites too live in huge numbers in a matriarchal colony. Their main food is wood, eating away slow and steady, they start feasting on a home bottom to top along the building’s woody parts. Recently, however, rubber feasting and furnishing like cloth has also become a part of termite cuisine. Three types of termites are available. The dampwood and drywood varieties; living in forested areas with appetites in namesake; and comparatively a low threat to humans. The third kind is the malicious variety; the subterranean or Formosan Termite is often called “Terror Bug” or “Termite from Hell”. Formosan Termites live in damp areas, especially in soil and are rather voracious when it comes to eating habits; anything with cellulite will do. In places like Hawaii and Texas, new structures may be destroyed in a matter of three months if left to gorge. Estimates indicate that their slow and steady appetites show as about 5 billion$ annually in financial views with pest control and repair.

The efficiency and tenacity of termites can be feared and admired. They are after all too good at their jobs; they’ve been at it since before the dinosaurs! It’s no wonder that no matter what insurance you’ll obtain these days (no kidding, even your hair!); even the indiscriminate insurance companies surrender to these jaws. The only solution to saving your home can be good termite inspection and following rigid pest control in case they’re already there; which is most probable. Termites can be extremely resourceful in their housing techniques, even residing in concrete and will easily work their way up the foundation of your precious abode in each piece of wood they can find. Pest Control Boards across the US have put up rigid work in termite inspection laws and pest control regulations to fight this losing battle. With termite infestation, there a number of measures you have to take to survive evolution’s finest.

The first step is prevention. The construction must be such that the water inlets and outlets don’t create conditions for termite growth. Colonies can’t survive without steady water, so damps, leaks and seepage is best stopped at construction to avoid heavy costs. When the root problem has been dealt with; termination is called on. Heating techniques include gassing the house and covering it in a heavy tent while simultaneously blowing in hot air to raise the house temperature to 150-1700F and wood temperatures to about 120-1300F. With older structures, however, equal heating is very difficult and chemical pesticide help is required, the monitoring of which is hazardous and highly skilled.

Only expert licensed pest control workers should be doing such work; though self help in all inadvisability is available. The third measure of termite wars is to keep away further infestation with aid of a bait which deflects the colony’s interests with pheromones and such towards a better target and working on exterminating the entire colony. The underground habitation of termites makes this very difficult. Soil borders where gardens are concerned also create a deep ‘border of chemical layer to repel and kill the armies on their path towards the home. This method has shown some help, but has an expiry tag. Strict vigilance by termite inspection be a professional and regular pest control abiding by termite control laws seem to be the only way to outsmart and survive this ancient miniature monster; the feeder off your very house.