Termite Inspections

Annually in the United States, hundreds of thousands of families fall victim to termite infestations. If you’re thinking of investing in a property, it’s crucial you have a licensed professional inspector like those at Superior Pest Solutions take a look at the property to make sure termites haven’t taken hold of it. Realtors should have the same inspection done before they start showing a property off to potential buyers and most lenders require inspections before closing on a property loan.

Termite infestations are a widespread problem in South Carolina. Here, we deal with five different species: Native Subterranean, Formosan Subterraneans, Drywood Powderpost (or “furniture”), Eastern Drywood, and another type called the Kalotermes approximates.

Subterranean termites are responsible for about $2-5 billion in damage annually in the United States. That amounts to more property loss than what fires and windstorms like tornados and hurricanes inflict combined. The Formosan termites are especially destructive. Although they typically dig through structures starting from the ground, they can also make aerial nests without ever contacting the ground. Plus, their numbers are increasing.

When the experts at Superior Pest Solutions inspect a home for Subterraneans, we look for subtle signs that the untrained eye wouldn’t notice. These pests often leave behind small feces pellets that look like sawdust and shed their tiny sheer wings, which gather near windowsills and doorframes. The fecal pellets are as tiny as one-sixteenth of an inch, so it takes a trained professional to spot them. We’ll also look for tiny holes they use to push those pellets out from their tunnels. We’ll also look for damage, most noticeably when the paint starts to bubble, or wood begins to blister and change color. We’ll also look out for wood that sounds hollower than it should, a sign that termites have been working in the area for some time. Colonies can be immense, sometimes with millions of the creatures working together.

Drywood termites assemble in much smaller colonies, typically of hundreds or a few thousand. Rather than getting moisture from the soil, they soak in the water from the humid air we have in South Carolina. When a realtor brings in an expert from Superior Pest Solutions, we’ll search for the distinct signs of these pests as well. Infestations can be limited to a small area or spread to several different spots throughout the home. Most people don’t notice a thing until the insects start swarming, leaving the nest to seek out other areas for a future king and queen to develop a new colony.

Termites are nothing to joke around about. They mean business and are devastating when they take hold of a property. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you have an expert checking the area over. In South Carolina, you’ll find no better experts than the technicians at Superior Pest Solutions. We have over two decades in the business, sniffing out even the tiniest signs of termites and working on getting rid of them as quickly and effectively as humanly possible. If you’re hoping to buy or sell a home, call Superior Pest Solutions for your CL-100 report before you do.