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Keeping the Pests Where They Belong Where do ants, cockroaches, and mice have in common? They are all pests that belong inside, but that love to venture inside your home. If you do see them inside, you need to take action fast — because this is not where they should be! Pests are not just a nuisance. They can spread disease, destroy your insulation and other building materials, and leave nasty smells behind. Every homeowner should know the basics about pest control. Yes, you can call in a professional as needed, but knowing the basics will still help you keep the pests outside where they belong. You can learn those basics right here on this blog.

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3 Signs You Might Have Termites

No matter what the outside of your house is made of, the odds are that your house has a wooden skeleton. That wooden skeleton makes it vulnerable to things like termites. The termites can undermine the beams and load-bearing walls of your home, which can eventually cause your house to be unstable and unlivable. The best way to prevent that kind of damage is to know what some signs of termites are so that you can call an exterminator as soon as you notice any of the signs. 

Tight Windows/Doors

One sign that you might have termites is that windows and doors that have never had problems opening or closing are now hard to open or close and seem too tight in their fittings. This is because when the termites are chewing away on the wood, they are also producing moisture. Moisture and wood don't play well together, and the moisture getting into the grain of the wood will cause it to warp. That's what makes it hard for the doors and windows to open or shut. 

Piles of Frass

Frass is insect droppings, and it is a pretty good sign that you have some insect infesting an area. Termite frass looks like piles of black powder, similar to pepper. You may also see black streaks on the walls around the area because the termites push their frass out of the tunnels and it can stick on the walls, leaving a streak. 

Wing Piles

When termites leave their original colony and go to find their own, they have wings and swarm. Once the termites find a good place and start their colony, they all shed their wings. That can leave a pile of wings around your house. The wings are iridescent and look like they could be fish scales. If you noticed that you had flying insects swarming around your house for a few days before you saw the piles of wings, that's a really good sign that you have been infested with termites. The good part of this is that they aren't really established yet, so you should be able to get rid of them quicker. 

If you think that you have termites, you should immediately call an exterminator. They can check out your house and yard to see if you do indeed have a problem. Then they can suggest some options in how to get rid of the termites that are eating you out of house and home. 

Reach out to a termite control service for more information.

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