Treating eastern subterranean termite activity at the foundation, the soil line and the wood in contact with the ground.
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Termite control treats the colony and the points where termites reach wood, usually at the foundation, the soil line and the wood in contact with the ground. Eastern subterranean termites are the species reported in the Chicago area, and their swarms are seen in spring, often after a warm day with rain. Tinley Park Pest Control connects Cook County callers with a local technician.
Termites live in the soil and travel to wood through mud tubes built over the foundation, so the first sign is often not a damaged board but a thin brown tube on a concrete wall or pier. The colony itself can be several yards from the house, and it keeps sending workers toward any wood that touches the soil or sits close to it.
Eastern subterranean termites are the species reported in the Chicago area, and they are the ones a technician is most likely to find. A swarm of winged termites in spring is a visible event, often on a warm day after rain, and it is the moment many homeowners first notice a problem. A swarm inside the house, on a window or under a light is a reason to call promptly.
Termite work is different from ant work because the colony is hidden in the soil and the wood damage is often inside. A treatment that reaches the foundation line and the soil around it can be effective, but only a check of the building shows which pieces of wood are affected. Call (855) 974-4733 to arrange an inspection if you see tubes or swarms.
Do not disturb mud tubes or fill them with a product yourself, because the colony can rebuild and the technician needs to see the activity. Do not stand on a damaged floor or joist over a crawlspace, and do not work in a crawlspace without light and a plan for leaving it. If you find a sagging floor or a structural crack, keep off that area and call (855) 974-4733.
The technician checks the foundation walls, the crawlspace or cellar, the piers and the sill plate for mud tubes, moisture and wood in contact with the soil. The inspection also looks at the grade around the house, since soil that is piled against a wall gives termites a path.
Wood-to-soil contact, a downspout that discharges against the wall and a damp crawlspace are noted as the features that make the building attractive. Each is marked for correction, because a treatment alone does not remove the reason the colony came to the house.
Depending on the building, the technician either applies a soil treatment along the foundation and in voids, or installs bait stations in the ground around the house. The method is chosen for the site and applied according to the label and the local rules.
Mud tubes that are found on the foundation are removed so that the activity can be seen during the next check. Wood that is in contact with the soil is noted for repair or replacement, and the homeowner is told which repairs fall to a carpenter.
Monitoring stations and inspections continue after the initial work, and the results are recorded so that a return of activity is caught early. Termite control is an ongoing process, and the monitoring schedule is part of the job.
Mud tubes are built by termites to travel from the soil to wood without being exposed to air. Their presence means termites are active at that point, and the wood behind or beside the tube should be checked. A tube is a sign to act, not proof of how much damage has been done.
Tubes are often found on a foundation wall, a pier or a crawlspace post. They are fragile and break easily, and a broken tube is rebuilt quickly if the colony is still active, which is why the technician checks for new tubes after the first visit.
A tube on a wall that is hidden behind stored items or a wall covering can be missed. The technician looks in the crawlspace, the basement and the joints where the sill meets the foundation, since that is where a termite route is most often found.
Eastern subterranean termites send out winged reproductives, called swarmers, in spring, and the swarm is most often seen on a warm day after rain. The swarm is the colony's way of starting new colonies, and a swarm near a house means a colony is nearby.
The swarm itself is short-lived, and the winged insects shed their wings soon after landing. The discarded wings on a windowsill or near a light fixture are often the first sign a homeowner sees, and they are a useful sample for the technician.
A swarm does not confirm damage in the house. It shows that a colony is active nearby, and the inspection checks whether the colony has found a way into the structure.
Yes, in some buildings a bait system is used instead of or alongside a soil treatment. The choice depends on the layout, the access to the soil and the findings of the inspection. Both methods aim to reach the colony rather than only the wood above it.
A soil treatment is applied along the foundation and into the voids, and it creates a zone the termites must cross. Where the soil is covered by a patio or a slab, or where the foundation is difficult to reach, the technician may choose bait stations.
The homeowner is told what the work involves, which areas will be disturbed and how the monitoring will be done. That plan is written down so it can be followed and checked on a schedule.
Wood in contact with the soil, moisture around the foundation, debris against the wall and a crawlspace that stays damp are the features that draw termites. Correcting them is part of the control, and it reduces the chance of a return even after the colony has been treated.
Firewood, landscape timbers and wood fences that touch the ground give termites a direct route to the house. Raising the wood off the soil or removing it is one of the simplest steps a homeowner can take.
A downspout that discharges against the foundation keeps the soil wet, and a wet soil line is attractive to termites. Redirecting the water a few feet from the wall reduces the moisture, and the technician notes where that is needed.
Not always. Winged ants are often mistaken for termites, and the two can be told apart by the body shape and the wings. Termite swarmers have a thick waist and wings of equal length, while winged ants have a pinched waist and unequal wings.
A sample of the insects, or the wings, can be shown to the technician, who will check them under a hand lens. The check is quick, and it prevents unnecessary treatment or the reverse, a missed colony.
Winged ants are common in spring and are rarely a sign of structural damage. The termite inspection covers what is looked at when a homeowner wants a check at sale or after a sighting.
A liquid barrier applied to the soil along the foundation and into the voids beside it. It creates a treated zone the termites must cross, and the work is done where the soil can be reached, often around the perimeter of the house.
Stations placed in the ground around the house, checked on a schedule. Termites that feed on the bait take it back to the colony. The stations are a monitoring system as well as a control, and the schedule is set with the homeowner.
Used when activity is found in a specific piece of wood or a wall void. The treatment is applied to the affected area, and the wood is noted for repair. It is often combined with a soil or bait plan so the colony is reached from more than one side.
Many Tinley Park houses have a poured concrete basement or a crawlspace, and the sill plate sits on the foundation wall. That joint is where termites most often find a route into the wood, so the check is made there rather than in the middle of the floor.
Soil in the south suburbs can hold moisture, and a wet soil line next to the foundation is a common condition. Termites are drawn to that moisture, and the inspection notes the grade and the drainage around the house.
The swarm season is a spring event tied to warm weather after rain, and the timing varies from year to year. A homeowner who sees winged insects should not wait for a set calendar date before calling, since the inspection is useful at any time.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what termite control should cost.
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A written termite inspection of the foundation, crawlspace, sill plate and soil line, for a home sale or a suspected problem.
Locating carpenter ant nests in damp or hollow wood around a Tinley Park house and treating the colony rather than the sawdust.
Treating the pests that gather in wet or cluttered basements and crawlspaces, and closing the foundation gaps they use.
One inspection and one written plan for the common pests that get into a Tinley Park house, garage and basement.
This guide publishes no dollar figure, because no usable price source confirms one for Tinley Park.
The Illinois Department of Public Health licenses structural pest control businesses and certifies the technicians who apply pesticides indoors and around buildings.
The termite most often reported in the Chicago area is the eastern subterranean termite.
A standard homeowner's policy usually excludes termite and vermin damage outright, and the policy and the insurer decide any claim.
The species reported in the Chicago area is the eastern subterranean termite, which lives in the soil and can damage wood over time. The technician confirms the species on the visit and recommends the control for that species.
A swarm shows that a colony is nearby, not that the house is damaged. An inspection checks the foundation, the wood and the crawlspace to find out whether the colony has reached the structure.
Termite damage often shows as hollow or tunnelled wood with mud tubes nearby, while water damage tends to show as staining, softness or mould. The technician checks the pattern and the moisture readings, and a carpenter can assess the wood.
Monitoring is ongoing, and some plans include a repeat treatment or a bait refresh when activity returns. The schedule is written into the plan so the homeowner knows what to expect.
Digging near the foundation can disturb the colony and the soil treatment, and it can expose wood and utilities. Ask the technician before any digging, and keep piles of soil and mulch away from the wall.
Termite damage is often excluded from a standard homeowner's policy. The policy and the insurer decide what is covered, and the guide on pest damage and insurance claims in Illinois covers the questions to ask.