Category Archives: Termite Control

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.

What Causes Termites and How to Spot Them in Your Home

Wooden doorway with termite damage

Termites are known as wood-eating insects that cause homeowners up to $5 billion in damage every year, according to the National Pest Management Association. But exactly what causes termites, where do they come from, and what do termites look like?

In this article, we’ll answer all of those questions so that you can identify a termite problem early on and call in the professionals for help right away to avoid substantial home damage.

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The Life Cycle of Termites and Why Spring Is the Season to Take Action

The life cycle of a termite starts in the early spring season

Wanting to learn more about the pests that invade our homes and cause costly damage doesn’t always come naturally to homeowners. However, it is very useful to gain an understanding of how termites live and breed in order to choose appropriate termite extermination methods.

Here we’ll describe the basic life cycle of a termite and why spring the best time of the year is to pursue treatment options and combat infestations.

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How to Spot Termite Damage

 

 

Termites compromise the strength and safety of your home, and unfortunately, they often go undetected for many months or even years. Termites are silent but deadly attackers that cause extensive damage and can even make your home unlivable for a significant amount of time.

To prevent extensive damage in your home, it’s important learn about the early warning signs and call a professional exterminator right away to control the situation.

Types of Termite Damage

There are many different types of termites that affect homes in our area, and each one causes distinct damage to wooden structures on your property.

For example, subterranean termites live underground in loose, damp soil and are the most common type of white ant that attacks American homes. The damage that these termites cause can resemble water damage, such as swollen or bucked floors or ceilings. You might also smell scents of mold and mildew. Subterranean termites prefer soft wood and tend to eat wood along the grain.

Another common type of damage is caused by drywood termites, which build colonies inside wooden structures in homes. These types of termites build tunnels inside walls and even furniture, so you may see cracks appear where drywood termites have taken over. Drywood termites like to eat large sections of wood and chew along and against the grain of your wood. It is very difficult to control these types of inner-wall infestations yourself, so call a professional exterminator as soon as you notice unexpected cracks in your home.

Although structural damage is the most common type of termite destruction, these invasive pests eat their way through many other important materials as well. In addition to the structural wood that your home is built with, these are some of the other household materials and areas that termites frequently cause damage to:

  • Siding
  • Plaster
  • Metal
  • Floors
  • Ceilings
  • Furniture

What to Look for in Your Home

Although termites affect homes in different ways, there are a few tell-tale signs that you should remember for future reference. Termites cause at least $5 billion in damage to American homes annually, and it’s better to be safe than sorry so that your family doesn’t end up being part of that statistic.

These are some of the most common signs of termite damage to look for:

  • Weak or missing parts of wood structures
  • Termite wings near closed windows and doors
  • Mud tubes where your house touches the ground
  • Fecal pellets outside of termite tunnels
  • Wood that sounds holly when you tap on it
  • Buckling paint and tiny holes in wood
  • The presence of live termites in your home

Bergen & Passiac County Termite Control

Spotting termites can be very difficult, especially if you haven’t dealt with an infestation before and aren’t sure what to look for. Always call a professional service you trust before trying to control a termite situation yourself. In Northern New Jersey, you can trust the experts at Precise Pest Control because we have over 25 years of experience in the pest control industry and a reputation that lives up to our name.

We specialize in all types of white ant removal, so call us today for prompt and thorough extermination to get the results that you need to ensure the safety of your family, tenants and property.

Understanding the Different Types of Termites & How They Affect You


Termites of all kinds are a costly nuisance and a major headache for homeowners around the country. These are some of the most common types of termites and how they could affect your life if they decide to take up residence in your home.

Subterranean Termites

One very common type of termite is the subterranean termite. These termites are social insects that live in colonies and the most common type found in American homes. Often the first signs of subterranean termite damage are dark-colored blisters in wood flooring.

This variety of white ants is known to damage the structure of your home, and in severe cases, you may need to move out until repairs are complete. It’s easy to overlook subterranean termite damage because this type of termite typically only eats spring wood and leaves the exterior surface alone.

Drywood Termites

Drywood termites are most common along coastal areas and in the south and southwest parts of the country. This is another type of white ant that can go undetected for a long time.

Drywood termites are notorious for damaging the walls in your home, as well as poles and furniture. This type of termite infestation often requires homeowners to remove all furniture from the affected area until the termites have been eliminated. This is a major inconvenience for many homeowners, especially when they are forced to find and pay for temporary storage space for an indefinite amount of time.

Dampwood Termites

The Pacific Coast is typically home to the most dampwood termites, but this insect can live anywhere with damp and decaying wood. These termites love moist environments and typically set up new nests throughout the spring and summer.

Homeowners may notice fecal pellets around the house when they have a dampwood termite infestation. Moisture control is essential to eliminating these termites, which means that homeowners need to promptly address roof leaks, plumbing problems, and rainwater drainage to prevent infestations.

Formosan Termites

Formosan termites love warm climates and although most popular in the American South, small populations have been encountered up to the Canadian border. The three forms of these termites are the winged or wingless reproductive termites, the workers, and the protector soldiers.

They live in the soil and invade wood structures that come in direct or close contact with the dirt. It is very common for homeowners to find these termites while doing home renovations. They target walls and other structural components of homes, which causes the structure to sag and need further repairs.

Termite Removal in New Jersey

Regardless of which type of termite is terrorizing your home, the professional exterminators at Precise Pest Control are your local experts in the pests plaguing New Jersey. We have the knowledge and expertise to handle all types of termite infestations and even help you prevent future damage.

Call us today at 866-971-2847 for a free inspection and avoid unnecessary property damage that will take its toll on your wallet and inconvenience your daily life.

The Devastating Costs & Inconveniences of Termite Damage

termite damageUnlike many of the insects that are simply a nuisance around the house and yard, termites, also known as white ants, are dangerous predators that threaten your home and disrupt your lifestyle. No matter where you live or how old your home is, your family could be at risk of termite damage, which is both costly and inconvenient to repair.

If not properly planned for, termites will destroy the structural elements of your home, including your walls, floors, and ceilings. But they don’t stop there. Termites are also notorious for eating through furniture, carpet, drywall, and paneling.

Let’s take a closer look at the devastating effects of termite damage and what you can do to prevent it.

The Cost of Termite Damage

Did you know that the average cost of termite damage is $3,000? Who honestly has a few extra thousand dollars to waste on unwanted pests?

In fact, termites cause more damage to American homes than the combination of earthquakes, tornadoes, and fires. The national total spent on repairing homes from termite damage is over $5 billion each year. Some homeowners end up spending tens of thousands of dollars to rid their homes of white ants, and the problem only gets worse the longer you wait to control it.

The Inconveniences of Termite Damage

Not only does the process of repairing termite damage cost you a significant amount of money, but it also results in many inconveniences and disruptions in your daily life.

Termite damage often requires contractors to come in and tear apart your home’s walls to locate and exterminate the termite infestation. White ant removal can take weeks or even months, depending on the severity of the problem. This process requires you to put your life on hold while these unwanted houseguests are driven out by the professionals.

Another inconvenience that you may experience after a termite infestation is having to find a temporary storage space for your belongings that were located near the damage. Storage spaces aren’t cheap, especially when you’re just looking for a short-term or month-to-month solution. And you might be forced to inconveniently drive back and forth to your storage to get the things you need until the termites are under control.

Prevention is Your Best Defense

It’s a shame to pay for something that could have been prevented and burden yourself and your family with unnecessary hassles. Most homeowners don’t even notice termite damage until it’s too late because these pests often start doing damage to less visible areas first. They’re known as the “silent destroyers” because homes with termite damage often don’t appear different than any other homes on the block.

The best way to protect your family and your home is to prevent termites before they even have a chance to start damaging your home. It’s a smart idea to have a specialist come in for an inspection, even if you don’t think you have anything to worry about, but especially if you’ve never had one done before.

Contact Precise Pest and Termite Control to equip your home with the tools and resources it needs to remain a termite-free zone today and in the future. Once you understand the risks associated with termite damage, you’ll realize that you can’t afford to not be prepared.

Bergen County Termite Control: Best Practices

bergen county termite control

If you suspect that your home has a termite infestation, then quick remediation is necessary to avoid extensive property damage. The average home in the United States will require $3,000.00 worth of repairs for termite damage, but in many cases, the cost of fixing a structure is much more. Delaying a pest-control treatment is never a good idea when you notice that termites have invaded a property because these insects breed rapidly and consume building materials constantly. Termite colonies tend to remain hidden in areas that are difficult to see such as inside walls or wooden beams, but by the time a homeowner notices structural problems in a home, the damage can lead to a sagging roof or unsafe building foundation. Continue reading

Are Termites the Guardians of the Soil?

Bergen County Termite Control

Termites have an overall bad reputation in New Jersey. Most people who run across a termite are fast to call a New Jersey termite control company to take care of the problem. The reality is that termites fill an important niche in nature when it comes to soil and plants. You should understand why termites in New Jersey are actually beneficial for the soil. Continue reading

New Jersey Termite Control Assistance This Spring

Bergen & Passaic County Termite Control

 

As temperature rise, New Jersey termite control assistance may help safeguard your home against an infestation. Homeowners have enough to worry about when it comes to termites. And now, just like the super bugs in human health, the termite species has a super termite. This phenomenon has been detected in termite prone areas by researchers at the University of Florida. New Jersey termite control professionals recommend taking steps to eradicate the native variety of species as a remedy to ward off any potential infestation of this new threat. This threat is a result of a hybrid of the most egregious varieties. The Asian and the Formosan termite comprise this hybrid. Continue reading

New Jersey Termite Control on Termite Awareness Week

Bergen & Passaic County Termite Control

We’d like to share some helpful tips regarding New Jersey termite control in preparation for Termite Awareness Week 3/15- 3/21! Termites have been around for more than 250 million years and are extremely resilient creatures. In the United States alone, termites exist in every state except Alaska. New Jersey termite control is no easy feat as the bugs typically feast on the cellulose found in wood and may go unnoticed for years. The termite control NJ specialists, Precise Pest Control, report that signs of invasion and colonization include visible wood damage that may appear as nothing more than small holes. Other symptoms include crumbling drywall, sagging doors and windows, piles of discarded wings, small pellets resembling mouse feces and obvious swarms of the insects. In time, wood becomes hollow with nothing left but a mere shell. Every year, the insects cost American citizens more than $5 billion. Continue reading