Category Archives: Precise Pest and Termite Control Services

How to Identify Termite Damage and Prevent It

termite damage in the wall of a home

New Jersey homeowners face various types of pests that threaten to destroy their homes and yards. One of the most destructive is the termite, which is notorious for creating structural damage in local houses.

Precise Termite & Pest Control offers professional termite eradication and helps homeowners identify the types of termites they have to prevent future infestations.

What Do Termites Look Like?

Dozens of termite species exist in our world today, but they all have a somewhat similar appearance. Termites are typically between a quarter-inch and a half-inch long. They are white or light brown in color and have soft bodies, straight waists, and straight antennae.

Homeowners sometimes misidentify carpenter, flying, and fire ants as termites because of their appearance. To the untrained eye, termite damage can resemble the damage caused by powderpost beetles and carpenter bees.

Types of Termites to Know

Termite species can be broken down into several categories. For example, subterranean termites live in soil, build large nests, and cause most of the termite damage to New Jersey homes.

Next up are drywood termites, which prefer living in moist wood conditions outdoors and are, therefore, often less of a problem for New Jersey homeowners. They don’t need soil to survive; however, they love to feast on hardwood floors slowly and devastatingly in homes.

Meanwhile, Formosan termites are very destructive but less common in New Jersey than in other parts of the country.

Damage Caused by Termites

Regardless of the species, termites cause extensive damage to the structural integrity of buildings. Termites commonly take up residence in wall studs, support beams, ceiling joints, and household furniture. It is also possible for termites to inhabit non-wood materials of your home, such as metal siding and insulation.

Subterranean termite damage often resembles water damage because this species prefers soft wood and eats wood along the grain. Drywood termite damage results from tunnels the insects build inside walls and furniture, as these termites eat large sections of wood and chew against the wood grain.

Identifying Termite Damage Early

Termites frequently cause damage to a home’s floors, ceilings, siding, plaster, metal, and furniture. There are several tell-tale signs of termite damage, which is helpful since termites cause at least $5 billion in damage to American homes annually.

Here are some common signs of termite damage to look for:

  • Buckling paint and tiny holes in the wood
  • Weak and missing parts of wood structures
  • Mud tubes where your home touches the ground outside (looks like clumpy lines in the soil)
  • Fecal pellets near termite tunnels
  • Termite wings near windows and doors

Professional Help with Termite Identification and Termite Extermination

If you notice any of these signs of damage or the presence of insects around your home that you’re unsure about, it’s time to call in the professionals.

Precise Termite & Pest Control is your local expert in New Jersey termites. We offer prompt, affordable, and reliable extermination services with excellent customer service and no pressure.

Identifying and eradicating termites on your own can be challenging, especially if you aren’t sure what to look for or haven’t dealt with an infestation before.

With termites, prevention is your best defense, and many homeowners don’t notice any pest activity until extensive damage is already done. Therefore, it’s smart to have our exterminators come to your home for a free inspection to assess your potential termite risks and plan ahead for them.

Please call us at 866-971-2847 or complete our online form to learn more about our inspections and termite extermination and prevention services.

Is Pest Control Necessary in the Winter?

Professional exterminator in protective workwear spraying pesticide in apartment kitchen in the winter.During the warm months of the year, New Jersey residents tend to see more insects and other pests in their homes and around their yard because they spend more time outside. However, pest control in winter is also very important because troublesome critters don’t just disappear when the weather gets cold.

 

Here is why winter pest control is necessary and how you can keep your home free from pests all season long.

 

Common Winter Pests

Here in Bergen and Passaic counties, there are lots of different pests that our customers need our help with during the winter. Mice and rats are rodents that invade homes during the winter months, while raccoons start to move into attics, garages, and sheds when the temperature drops. You’ll often see spiders in New Jersey homes in the winter, as well as moths in places filled with light and cockroaches and beetles if you leave crumbs behind after holiday parties.

 

Winter Habitats for Pests

In the winter, insects commonly move inside of homes where it is warm and a food supply is nearby. Some of the insects that move indoors in the winter are spiders, ants, ladybugs, cockroaches, stinkbugs, and termites.

 

Pests like to find firewood, cracks, holes, and moist areas of houses to live in. Basements and crawl spaces are typical areas to check for pest activity. Some types of houses are more prone to pest control winter issues, such as cabins in the forest and older houses that need structural repairs. Insects and rodents are more likely to cause you problems in the winter if you have dirty garbage cans or plumbing leaks that cause damp areas.

 

Pest Control Winter Tips for Prevention

One of the best things you can do to prevent a winter pest infestation is to inspect your home for damage and potential entry points. Area to check include the roof line, firewood storage area, vents, window screens, door cracks, and gutters.

 

Remove debris from around your property so that you don’t entice pests to come find shelter near you. Other preventative tips include installing door sweeps, fixing leaky pipes, replacing loose mortar, and adding screen vents to chimneys. The winter season is also an ideal time to call a professional exterminator to take a look at your property and identify pest-prone issues that you may be unaware of.

 

Professional Help for Winter Pest Control

As you can see, pest control in the winter is absolutely necessary as part of a year-around maintenance strategy for keeping your Northern New Jersey home free of pests. Even during the busy holiday season, it is important to make pest control a priority so that a small pest issue doesn’t turn into a full-blown infestation that puts your health at risk and that becomes costly to remedy.

 

Now is an excellent time to schedule a free pest control winter inspection with Precise Termite & Pest Control to make sure that there aren’t any unwanted guests living in your home. Four-season pest control is crucial in New Jersey because of the large pest populations that are native to our area. We offer 10 percent off on new annual contracts to help you start the year off right with a winter inspection and pest assessment.

 

Contact us online or at by phone at 866-971-2847 to learn more and schedule your appointment.

Are Flying Ants as Bad as Termites?

Damage caused by TermitesFor many homeowners, having termites in the house is just about as bad as it can get because of how much damage they can cause. But how bad is it to have flying ants around your home, and what kind of damage can these insects cause?

This article compares flying ants vs. termites and how to handle a flying ant situation when one occurs.

 

Similarities Between Flying Ants vs. Termites

Both flying ants and termites are insects that fly and swarm, which makes many people mistake one species for the other. They also have similar sizes, shapes, and colors – at least to the untrained eye of someone who is not a pest control professional.

Also, both of these insects live in large colonies and operate within caste systems. Neither termites or flying ants are known to typically bite humans.

 

Differences Between Flying Ants vs. Termites

Yet when you take a closer look, there are a lot of variations between a winged ant and a termite. The body of a termite has a straight abdomen, while a flying ant has a thinner, pinched waist. Termites have equal length wings, while flying ants have wings of unequal length. The antennae of a termite are straight, while a flying ant’s antennae are bent.

The best way to tell which type of insect you are dealing with is to get a good up-close look at it, which is why pest control diagnoses are best left to an experienced professional.

Although both insects can live in wood, termites cause structural damage while ants usually do not. Flying ants are less likely to cause actual damage to your home but they can certainly be a nuisance. Termites eat plant matter, while flying ants eat both plants and other insects. The life cycles of these two insects differ as well because termites go through three phases and ants go through four stages of life.

 

Get Help to Control Winged Ants

Whether you have termites or flying ants around your home, chances are that you just want them gone as quickly and safely as possible.

We have been in this business for over 30 years and know all the best strategies for keeping Northern New Jersey homes pest-free. If you suspect that you have termites or winged ants around your home, contact us today at 866-971-2847 for a free inspection.

Where Do Bugs Go in the Winter?

spider in web during winter seasonHere in New Jersey, we usually think of summer as the most bug-prone season because we see so many pests flying and crawling around when the weather is warm. But this prompts the question, “Where do bugs go in the winter?”

Unfortunately, the most common answer is inside your home, where it’s warm, cozy, and has a readily available food supply. Here are the most common bugs that move from the outdoors into your home in the winter and what you can do to stop them.

Spiders

Spiders of varying types and sizes seek warmth in the winter, especially in crawl spaces beneath your home that are easy to access. Spider activity is generally less in the winter, but they can still create nightmares for homeowners. Keep an eye out for spider webs and destroy webs as soon as you notice them to make your home less inviting for spiders.

Ants

Ants, especially carpenter ants, love the moisture caused by winter rains, ice, and snow melt. These pests set up nests in places where wood has been exposed to winter moisture, such as firewood that you bring into your home for the cozy fireplace. To keep ants away, never leave food out in the open, and try adding some peppermint oil drops around the kitchen to deter them from food storage areas.

Ladybugs

Lady bugs may be one of the “cuter” bugs in our area, but that doesn’t mean you want them living inside your home. These insects love to find warmth in the winter to hibernate, and while they don’t do significant damage, they can secrete a fluid that stains fabrics and cause a foul odor if squished. Minor lady bug habitats can often be vacuumed up and released back into the outdoors.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches have a reputation for being able to survive anything, but they actually will die if the temperatures drop to around 15 degrees Fahrenheit. When our New Jersey winters get really cold, cockroaches look to move indoors through crawl spaces and basements. Where you see one cockroach, there are usually more hiding in the area, which is why it’s best to call an exterminator as soon as possible.

Stinkbugs

As their name suggest, the main problem with stink bugs are their terrible smell if they are stepped on or even just disturbed. These bugs crawl into cracks and holes in a home’s exterior and often go unnoticed until they are disrupted or even wait until spring to emerge.

Termites

Termites also thrive in moist areas, which is problematic in the winter if you have dense vegetation and brush around your home to attract them. It is also common for some termites to swarm in the fall, take up residence in homes in the winter, and then reproduce in the spring, which means that you could have a lot of termites on your hands next season if you don’t catch them early.

If you notice any bug activity inside your home or want to be proactive and keep them away for the winter, call Precise Termite and Pest Control at 866-971-2847 for a free inspection.

Termite Poop: The Dangers, What It Looks Like, and What to do About It

Pests can be difficult to see and track with the naked eye, but they often leave droppings behind that make their presence very obvious in a home. One such pest is the termite, an insect that eats wood and is known to destroy walls and furniture. But the droppings that termites leave behind can put your health at risk if not properly controlled by a professional.

Here is some information about termite poop and answers to common questions like “Is termite poop dangerous?”

What Does Termite Poop Look Like?

Although the droppings of a termite can vary from one species to the next, it is most commonly oval-shaped, has concave sides, and rounded ends. It may look like tiny pellets of salt and pepper, but overall, it is typically the color of the wood. It is best to have a professional exterminator help you identify what the droppings are to correctly diagnose the problem and then pursue the best solution for that type of pest.

Is Termite Poop Dangerous?

To answer the question is termite poop dangerous, research shows that termite poop is not necessarily toxic to humans. However, there are still health risks of exposure to termite poop, including skin irritations, allergic reactions, and asthma attacks. Unlike some pests, such as rats and mice, termite poop is not associated with a great risk of spreading communicable diseases. But it could make you feel sick if the termite poop enters food or water sources in your home.

Why Is Termite Poop Harmful?

In addition to these potential health risks, termite poop is harmful because it is a telltale sign that costly property damage is on the horizon. Termites are sneaky pests that often go unnoticed, but you can be more proactive about termite removal if you take action as soon as you notice termite poop.

Termite poop on a bed often means there is a termite infestation in the ceiling or roof. Termite poop on a window sill commonly means there are nests and mud tunnels nearby. If you see termite poop on the carpet or floor of your home, termites likely live in or under the floor, causing an effect that may resemble water damage.

What to Do If You Discover Termite Poop

At Precise Pest Control, we offer full-service termite inspections and removal in homes and businesses throughout northern New Jersey. Termites are our top specialty, and by calling us at the first signs of termite poop, you can save yourself thousands of dollars of property damage and reduce your risk of health problems. We look forward to helping you identify and solve termite problems in your home so that you can rest easy and save money in the long-run.

Pests to Be on the Lookout for in Your Home This Fall

It’s a fact of life in New Jersey that pests start making their way inside your home once the summer comes to an end. With cooler temperatures outside and plenty of warm and inviting homes in the area, fall is a prime time for infestations of many types of pests.

These are the top Bergen County pest control concerns for fall and what you can do to keep pests away from your home all season long.

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How to Pest Proof Your Home in the Winter: Bergen County, NJ

pest control bergen county

People think summer pests are terrible, but they should just wait until winter. When the temperatures drop in New Jersey, pests like insects and rodents are just like us: They head indoors. Here are some things you can do to pest-proof your home in the wintertime. Continue reading →

5 Winter Pests to Look Out For

pest control in Bergen County

Now that the winter season is here, the temperatures are starting to rapidly decline in New Jersey. Once the temperatures start to drop, unwanted pests start to try to enter your warm home. This makes pest control in New Jersey vitally important during the cold winter months. These are the five winter pests to look out for before they damage your home. If you see any signs of these pests, then make sure to check out our pest control services.

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Stinkbug Season Is Upon Us

Stink bugs can be major household pests, stealthily getting into your home through doors, seal cracks, utility pipes and other types of openings. Not only do these creepy crawlies often make homes smell unpleasant, but they also tend to gather in large groups — not exactly fun to see in your living room. Mature stinkbugs also like to consume fruit.

It’s a real stinker of a problem

Stinkbugs, true to their name, often stink. It’s no joke. Their strong odors are a means of defense. They release these smells via openings in their abdomens. When they do so, it generally means that they’re trying to protect themselves from potential predator attack — think reptiles and birds. If you try to catch a stinkbug to remove it from your residence, however, you might notice the pest giving off the odor, too. Not only are stinkbug odors yucky, but also they’re also extremely strong and persistent. They sometimes linger for a minimum of six months, which is the last thing you want in your home.

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Protecting Your Home From Bugs During The Winter

One of the biggest expenditures of your life will most likely be your home. Protecting your home with insurance will assure that it is protected for many years to come. The biggest problem homeowners have is when unwanted bugs access the home and begin to make it their own. Wood destroying insects can slowly eat away at the structure of the home from the inside out. This means that by the time you even see these insects, they have destroyed the integrity of your home. Our team of experts at Bergen County Exterminator can quickly identify areas of concern within your house and help you to take back control of your property.

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