The Most Effective Termite Control For San Mateo Properties

There are layers of protection that can be put in place to prevent termites from damaging your property. You may already be applying some of these layers. Yard work is a good example. A yard that is free of organic debris is less interesting to termites.

Dead branches are a food source for termites. Leaf litter and leaf piles trap moisture underneath and termite workers are attracted to moist soil. When you do yard work, you have an impact on termites and other potential pests. Let's look at other pest maintenance layers that protect your San Mateo home against termite damage.

About The Termite Caste System

There are a few castes in a termite colony. If you understand these castes, you can add layers of protection. Here's how termite identification can help you with guarding against termite damage:

• Worker termites are the worker caste. These are the only termites that damage wood. You may find them where you find wood in contact with soil. Lift a dead branch and look underneath. If you see tiny, milky-white insects, you've found termites.
• Soldiers are the caste of termites that protect the workers. If you know that soldiers are a caramel color and have black pincers on their heads, you may be able to detect termites in your yard more effectively. You're likely to always find soldiers with workers. 
• Winged termites are from the reproductive caste. These termites are often called swarmers due to the way they gather into a swarm during mating. If you see tiny black insects with white wings, or dark orange insects with yellowish wings, you're looking at a termite infestation.

If you see signs of termites in your yard, like flying termites around your property, these signs can alert you to a termite problem. If you know what to look for, you can catch termites early and prevent extensive damage.  

How & Why Termites Silently Destroy Structures

Termites are sneaky by nature. Subterranean termites are the sneakiest. When subterranean termites attack San Mateo properties, they can do so without providing any visible signs. You can add a layer of protection by considering the route this species of termite will take to get into your home undetected.

• If you have wood-to-soil contact, worker termites can go straight from the soil into your home. Address wood-to-soil contact to prevent this.
• If your home has a crawl space underneath, termites can use the darkness and humidity of this environment to be active under your home. Routine inspections can help to prevent this.
• If subterranean termites can get to wood directly, they may create above-ground tunnels called shelter tubes. They are likely to create these tubes in hidden locations that are shielded from the sun. Look in hidden places for these tubes to catch subterranean termites early.
• If drywood termites attack the wood of your home, they can do so by air. They can get in through gaps, cracks, and holes in your exterior. Since winged termites don't eat wood, you can keep drywood termite swarmers out by sealing potential entry points.

Do you see how you can stop a termite problem by applying layers of protection? Addressing wood-to-soil contact, sealing entry points, and performing routine inspections each provide a layer of protection.

Natural Ways To Make Your Property Less Attractive To Termites

There are many ways your property can promote termite activity. If you don't want active termites on your property (and we assume you don't) you can use these tips to address the problem and add another layer of protection:

• Refrain from stacking dead branches in a pile on the ground. Put branches on something that termites can't eat through, such as plastic. Worker termites will have to create visible shelter tubes to get to this food source.
• Get all wood sources off the ground. An example of this is to create an elevated platform for the wood you use for backyard cookouts.
• Remove stumps and logs from your property.
• Refrain from burying any scrap wood in the ground on your property.

You should always make it difficult for termites to find food on your property. Every layer of protection is important when you're working to deter termites with DIY termite management.

Contact The Pros For The Best Termite Control For Your Property

It is a lot of work to apply layers of protection to deter termites and catch early signs of termite activity. For this reason, many residents search for San Mateo pest control. At Pacific Pest Management, we reduce the workload for property owners.

The product we apply around man-made structures intercepts termite workers as they attempt to get inside, and the workers share the active ingredient of the control product to eliminate their own colony. If you'd like to learn how this active termite protection works, we'd love to speak with you. Reach out to us here at Pacific Pest Management today.