Stevenson: A Termite’s American Dream?

Termites Rock Around the Clock in Stevenson: Get the Brody Brothers on your Side

Anyone could feel nostalgic for the 1950’s strolling past the beautiful homes in Stevenson — even those of us who weren’t born yet. The ranch homes in the area on large plots of land continue to make Stevenson a great place to raise a family.

Back in the 50’s when they were built, these homes followed current house trends and were mainly built on slab construction without a basement or crawl space. Some were also constructed over a partial basement with stone floors.

The modern technology at the time meant that homeowners also had radiant heating installed, with either air ducts that run under the stone floor or copper pipes that run through the concrete. This is what allows homeowners to walk barefoot even on the coldest day of the year.

Sounded like a great idea at the time, but over the years, copper pipes corrode inside the concrete slab, leaking water into the soil. The combination of this moisture and the heat from the radiant system makes Stevenson homes a termite’s dream come true.

To make matters worse, conventional liquid termite treatments have a high failure rate in these types of houses because of the existing moisture levels and the fact that navigating around heating ducts and pipes can present a major challenge to even the best pest control professionals.

 

What to do about termites?

Luckily, Brody Brothers has a solution to protect Stevenson’s beautiful homes from termite damage. These homes are ideal candidates for termite bait systems and our team has had great success keeping slab construction homes termite free, even those that have not responded to conventional treatments.

Our Sentricon (Sentricon Termite elimination system) ® system will eliminate current termite problem and prevent new termites from moving in, all in an eco-friendly way. The bait traps are EPA approved and help you avoid liquid termite treatments that could put your family and pets at risk. Our clients with older homes often opt for our termite control plan because it covers year-round inspections and treatments to maintain the structural integrity of your house.

In many of Stevenson’s slab construction homes, preventing termites in the first place is a tall order, but there are some steps you can take:

• Gutters should be cleaned and downspouts should be extended away from the foundation of the home.
• Make sure wood piles are kept away from your home and that mulch is less than three inches deep.
• Decaying mulch is an invitation to termites, so replace it every year and never let it accumulate.
• Rotting wood from tree stumps is also a major attraction for termites, so don’t leave them in the ground if you take down a tree in your yard.

 

Are you sure it’s termites?

You don’t have to wait until your walls are coming down to find out if you have termites. The Brody Brothers team is happy to inspect your house, of course, but if you’d like to go on a reconnaissance mission yourself, look for the wings. Termites appear in swarms to reproduce when they are starting a new colony, so you will spot the wings if you look closely, even if you don’t see the bugs. Floor boards, windowsills and basements are good places to check.

Termites travel between the feeding locations in your home via mud tubes, so keep your eyes peeled for them. If you come across a mud tube but you can’t tell if it’s active or not, break it and check later to see if it’s been repaired; if it has, it means you have an active termite infestation. It’s also a good idea to knock on any wood beams in your home; if they sound hollow, chances are you’ve been invaded by termites.

Whether you’re in Stevenson or any other part of our service area, termite damage can be incredibly costly to repair and each case is different in terms of the scope of damage. We take great pride in protecting our clients’ homes and neighborhoods from termites and other pests. Contact Brody Brothers today and make your pest problems history.