To most of us, buying a house of our own is not as easy a feat as buying candy. Hard earned money is invested on it and so protecting that investment is practically a necessity. One way to protect it is to keep it free of termite damage and keep it safe from those pesky little wood eaters, the termites. These pests could wreck your home without you knowing it. They work underground, making them and the damage they bring to your properties virtually undetectable. Many home owners are either victims or witnesses to the devastating damage these pests can bring if left unattended. Pictures of termite damage are seen everywhere and anywhere and it is not a pretty sight. Yes, it is a dilemma that has been pressing on for years but a dilemma that can be fought and avoided, it all depends on how committed you are as a homeowner in preventing termite infestation from happening.

You may ask yourself “What is the first thing that I should do to stop termite infestation?” and the answer is to educate yourself. You heard this answer before, read about it before. It may sound redundant but it is the truth! Take time to learn your common termite, how they work, what kind of damage they can cause and you are a step closer to achieving your ultimate goal: to get rid of termites.

Make it a habit to look for signs of termite damage periodically. One must remember that a zero termite presence does not mean there are no termites in your household. They could be well eating out your property slowly and next thing you know you got burrowing holes in your walls. Be warned though that depending on the type of termite infesting your property, the time, magnitude and kind of termite damage will be different.

There are two types of termites: drywood and ground termites. Both live on feeding on cellulose. Drywood termites do not require soil contact or moisture source to survive so they can be found living within wood or other wood products. If you notice droppings that are sand like in nature near furniture or cabinets, holes in walls and ceiling, it could be you have a drywood termite infestation. Ground termites, especially subterranean termites, live and forage for food in the soil. In order for the colony to thrive, they need an outside moisture source which they find in soil. They build protective mud tunnels used as “highway” from their colony to their food source which is basically your home. If you can see mud tubes rising from soil to your house, an abnormal waviness on your walls or ceiling, or presence of slits on wood you have a ground termite infestation.

A well established ground termite colony can contain millions of termites while a mature drywood termite colony can have members up to a thousand. This is why it takes drywood termites years before evidence of their infestation is found and cause minimal damage. On the other hand, ground termites can inflict damage on structures faster and more severe than drywood termites do. They pose real danger to properties left unprotected and untreated.

Neglecting to notice termite infestation poses danger not only to your home but also to yourself. Many termite damage pictures dug from the internet showed the worst damage termites can do to houses and they were not pretty to look at. Termite damage renders structure unstable and unsafe to live and is a complete devastation to homeowners. Termites are not only chewing away your invested home but also chewing away part of your future. So if you see signs of infestation, it is your cue to call for an inspection of your home. With the help of a professional, start your treatment for termites, do what you can to repair termite damage and do preventive measures to avoid re-infestation. True, this may be costly but an investment, nonetheless. Being free of termites is liberating you from future damage repair that could possibly cost you more. Don’t you know that termites can cause millions of property damages annually? That staggering amount is an enough eye opener to anyone who is at least concerned about the safety of his home. Save your home, save your money, get rid of those termites!