We understand more than anyone that your business needs to operate on a solid foundation. That’s why we are known as The Termite Experts. No one knows termites like we do and will do anything and everything to protect your biggest assets. Our customized termite solutions will help treat your termite problem at the source and prevent future infestations. Since no two establishments are alike, we take into consideration all aspects of your property when creating a plan that fits with exactly what you need.
Termites literally eat away at your biggest assets from the inside out. From foundations to inventory, they can destroy anything that comes into their path. A termite infestation has been known to have severe negative effects on operations that can cost a significant loss of revenue.
Termites have the ability to adapt and change with their environment. You would be surprised at how long a termite can hide out in a simple pipe year round. Receiving a full termite inspection can prevent this from happening in your business.
Termites feed undetected, so they can’t always be seen when they are attacking from the inside out. Therefore, infestations can go undetected for a long time, almost until the wood is completely destroyed. When that happens, the financial cost can be devastating to repair and replace what was destroyed.
We know termites from A to Z as we have been treating termite infestations on the island of Puerto Rico since 1972 with thousands of satisfied customers. There are four major types of termites. Formosan, Subterranean, Drywood, and Dampwood are all part of the termite family.
Formosan termites love the weather here in Puerto Rico! They are mostly found in southern states and islands across the United States. These termites are a type of subterranean termite that nests with in the soil. They come into businesses one of two ways. One, they come straight through the soil and up through the wood invading your structure. Or two, they use mud tubes from soil to reach your business. Unlike subterranean termites, these termites can retain moisture in their nests and do not need to return to the soil for their needed moisture. As with all termites, their main goal in life is to eat cellulose material such as wood.
Subterranean termites are found in warm areas such as southern states and islands. They are triggered to start “swarming” by warm temperatures and heavy rainfall. Their main goal is to establish a new colony outside of their current soil location. Once a termite is active for three to five years, they produce wings. These winged male and female termites come out from the soiled ground in search of a new home, a place to establish a new termite colony. These “swarmers” can sometimes be mistaken for flying ants, but flying termites have four wings that are all the same size, whereas flying ants wings are not all the same size.
Drywood termites create their colonies in wood and need no connection to the ground and can live with little to no moisture. Most commonly they are found in attic wood or kitchen cabinets made from wood in apartment buildings. Drywood termites extract as much water as possible from their feces to save it. This results in distinct fecal pellets called frass. Appearance of theses 1mm long, hexagonal shaped pellets can be a sure sign of a drywood termite infestation. Once these colonies are mature, they develop wings and swarm out after mating to create new colonies. Although drywood termites are less common than subterranean termites, they can still cause major damage to structures.
Dampwood termites are much bigger than the other termites and are just as common around the southern states and islands. They have a large head with pincers on the front and have no “workers” in their colonies. These termites do not nest in the soil and prefer damp, decaying wood. Generally, these colonies are small, but in ideal conditions, they have the ability to become very large. They do not need soil and do not make tunnels like the subterranean termites. They sometimes use their fecal pellets to cover where they live from outside air. Dampwood termites reproduce just like the others by their mature termites developing wings and flying out of there current colony to mate and find another place to live and multiply.
Mostly are found in warm, southern states or islands and you might notice pellets or termite droppings. These are small, ridged, wood-colored pellets that might fall from the ceiling or from the furniture.
When you notice a swarm of winged termites coming out of a structure, this is usually a good sign of a current or future infestation. Subterranean termites build mud tubes as an entry point for your business, these straw-like tubes that are formed from the house to the ground indicate an infestation, past or present.
Most often you will notice different mud structures within a wall that will indicate a sure infestation.
Like any insect in and around our properties, termites are searching for three things; food, water, and shelter. Subterranean and Drywood termites are looking for the exact same things! Outside, they eat downed trees, old roots and a number of other cellulose food sources. When they come into our business, they look for areas that provide the food, shelter, and water they need to live. Therefore, knowing your risk areas in and around your property can save you the heartache and your hard earned money from a future termite infestation.
Overflowing gutters or dripping spouts can cause a lot of water around your business and can lead to a termite problem. Because subterranean termites like to live in moist wood, water around your business can lead to a termite infestation. How can one or two termites lead to a full infestation? Well, when worker termites find a suitable food source they cover the food source with a scent or pheromone, which directs the other thousands of termites to the area to follow.
Wood chips or mulch can be a food source that termites would love to start a new colony. It’s hard for most people to give up mulch because of their landscaping preferences. However, if you want to protect your business from potentially thousands of dollars in termite damage, it’s best not to put it against your business. This includes firewood or scrap wood in crawl spaces because termites will invade those types of food as well. Helpful tip: Any wood in the house should be at least 12 inches above the ground contact, this will create a gap so that the termites cannot go directly from the soil into your foundation.
Any kind of pipe that goes through a foundation wall or floor can give termites access to your structure. The key here is to prevent the termites from accessing your business through a leaking plumbing pipe. Why would they want to come in through there? Well, most often the leaking pipe creates a perfect moist wood area for termites to eat. Termites can also create an ideal environment inside your air conditioning unit. The condensate or drip lines from the air conditioner can create pools of water that make it a great ‘starter home’ for termites and can lead to a future infestation.
Termites in the dirt have easy access to your business. In most structures with crawl spaces, termites can be found behind a porch filled with dirt. However, if your crawl space doesn’t have enough room to perform an inspection, it can be hard to detect if that space is a source of a termite infestation.
If you suspect a termite infestation in your business, give us a call today for a FREE termite inspection from one of our professionals so we can develop a customized plan of action specific to your facilities.
Most commonly, they will start building mud tunnels over foundation walls. This provides them access to the structure’s wood, and “BOOM”…you’ve landed yourself a huge problem.
We’ll take a look at your pest problem with a detailed inspection by one of our certified technicians. From there, we will design a custom plan fit specifically for your needs.
Boom will apply or install the necessary products that focus on reduction of the pests and prevention for future infestations.
We’ll observe and manage our work by communicating with you on a regular basis to make sure your pests stay controlled.
The BOOM Termite Solution is a customized treatment plan based on the needs of your property and the degree to which the termites have infested your space.
We’ve been serving Puerto Rico neighborhoods and businesses for over 40 years, so you can be confident that we will deliver the results you need. We’re not satisfied until you’re satisfied. Therefore, if termites return to your business after BOOM Pest Control has treated the infestation, we will return to your location and re-treat the problem at no additional cost to you. That’s what our 100% customer satisfaction is all about! We are dedicated to you as our clients and take pride in knowing you are receiving the highest quality of termite services.
If you suspect a termite infestation, call us today to schedule your FREE on-site inspection and estimate.
BOOM Pest Control wants to give our customers the peace of mind that the day you experience a termite infestation, it would cost you nothing. Most business owners insurance policies do NOT cover termite damage. Don’t let these pesky pests dig any deeper into your business and sneak into your pocket. They are armed, dangerous, and work around the clock to eat up as much of your assets as possible. With the potential of thousands of dollars in damages and treatments needed, you don’t want to be caught in a reactive situation where you have nowhere to go but to a credit card or personal loan.
Let us be the proactive solution to this serious threat that termites possess in your facilities. Contact us today to get more information on BOOM’s Termite Insurance Policies.