Termite Prevention Tips For Homeowners

Termites

While termites are most associated with warm, humid climates like Florida, Louisiana and Texas, the eastern subterranean termite is a serious wood-damaging pest in Michigan. These destructive insects are much more common than most people realize. To keep your home or business safe, learn to identify and prevent termites.

Protecting your home from termites in Michigan is no easy task. They are an aggressive, relentless pest that feeds around-the-clock. They often go undetected since enter through the soil beneath your home. A colony of 60,000 termites can eat the equivalent of 2 ft. length of a 2” x 4” piece of lumber in a year’s time if left to their own destructive ways!

What to Do if You Have Termites

If you suspect that termites have targeted your home for their next dinner buffet, Griffin Pest Solutions and the EPA recommend you contact a pest management professional for a thorough inspection and review of treatment options.

Termite damage to window sill.

DIY termite prevention can end up backfiring and may lead to unwanted headaches, hassles and cost a significant amount of money to correct. If you discover termite wood damage or see termites, a pest control tech can eradicate the colony quickly and permanently.

If you don’t have termites, consider yourself fortunate and keep them the away with our prevention tips.

How to Prevent Termites

Prevention is the best method of pest control. To keep termites from ever becoming an issue, take precautions in these three areas.

Reduce soil to wood contact.

This is where termites enter your home or building. Block them from ever coming in with these tips:

  • Maintain a 12-inch vertical barrier of smooth concrete, sand, or other non-cellulose material between the soil surface and substructure wood crawl spaces.
  • Identify and correct stucco siding or untreated wood that comes into contact with the ground.
  • Use synthetic wood and non-cellulose building materials for fences, decks or other structures.
  • Paint or treat existing wooden structures with anti-termite products.
  • Remove untreated fence posts, tree stumps and buried scrap wood near structures.
  • Keep wood piles 8” off the ground and away from your home.
  • Repair foundation cracks and seal openings on exterior walls and soffits to deny termites easy access.
  • Keep landscape shrubs trimmed and not touching exterior walls.
A leaky outdoor faucet.

Avoid moisture.

Termites thrive in warm, wet conditions. In most cases they will gravitate towards wood that is already soft or rotted. Maintain a cool, dry environment by following these steps:

  • Keep basement and crawlspace areas well ventilated and dry.
  • Don’t overwater your lawn or sprinkle stucco or wood siding.
  • Keep your gutters and downspouts clear of wet leaves so moisture does not build up.
  • Repair leaky pipes, faucets and air conditioners.
  • Make sure water doesn’t pool inside or outside after rainstorms.

Regular termite inspection.

Knowing the signs of termites and watching for them regularly can reduce your chances of a serious infestation. Here’s how:

Termite mud tunnels in a home.
  • Regularly inspect porches and exterior structural or foundation wood for signs of termites.
  • Look for mud tubes along walls, floorboards and in basements.
  • Examine used lumber carefully before bringing it home.
  • Watch for peeling paint or walls that look water damaged.
  • Apply a termite prevention treatment.
  • Consult a pest control expert.

Your Michigan Termite Control Experts

If you have questions about termites call or contact Griffin today. We are your local experts at treating termites in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Don’t take chances with termite colonies in your home. We’ll put a stop to all infestations before they can do serious damage to your property.

COVID-19 Update

On Tuesday 10, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer formally declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak. As of March 18, Griffin Pest Solutions will remain open and ready to respond to any of your pest control needs. We would like our customers to know that we have been closely following all COVID-19 news here in Michigan and implementing all CDC-recommended procedures for preventing the spread of the disease.

Griffin Pest Solutions’ employees have taken each of the following steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

  • All team members have been issued hand sanitizer and disinfectant, which they regularly use on their hands and anything they touch.
  • All in-office team meetings have been suspended. Any office team members who can work from home have been asked to do so.
  • Any immunocompromised team members or team members experiencing symptoms have been asked to stay home and seek medical attention.
  • On-site technicians are wearing extra safety gear and taking extra disease-prevention precautions, including avoiding approaching customers within six feet (per CDC recommendations) whenever possible and disinfecting any surfaces they come into contact with during the job.

Griffin Pest Solutions remains committed to providing top-quality pest control solutions to the homes and businesses of Michigan in all circumstances. If you have a pest problem, we are doing everything we can to remain ready to help quickly and effectively. We now offer disinfection and sanitation services in Michigan amid this COVID-19 outbreak.

As health and sanitation professionals, we also understand our professional and civic responsibility to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely, update our customers on any relevant new information, and adapt to changing circumstances in a responsible manner.

Everyone here at Griffin Pest Solutions hopes you and your family are happy and healthy in this scary time. We know you are taking the COVID-19 seriously and want you to know we are doing the same. If you have any questions about how our pest control the precautions we’re taking, please get in touch at (866) 868-5093 or contact us online. Thank you, and stay safe!

Why Do These Pests Keep Coming to Michigan?

Michigan river in the fall. "Why do pests love Michigan?"

Griffin Pest Control has served Michigan since 1929, and since then we’ve been kept the same pests out of homes and businesses every single year. What is it about Michigan that keeps pests like these coming back? What do they find here that they can’t get anywhere else?

Like all animals, pests adapt to survive and thrive in their environments. The pests of Michigan keep coming back because they’re literally built to get everything they need from our environment. Understanding what common pests like these need to survive can help you learn how to deprive them of it. Then, they’ll go elsewhere for food and shelter.

termite on wood

Termites

The state of Michigan is 36 million acres of land. 20 of the 36 million acres of this land are considered forest. That means Michigan is one of the most heavily forested states in the country. 8 million acres of this forest is owned and protected by the government, meaning it hasn’t been developed or harvested. It’s the largest state forest system in the country, with three national forests, three national parks, two national wildlife refuges, and 2 million acres of open hunting and fishing land.

What does all that add up to? Trees. About 11.4 billion of them. As you’re probably all-too-aware, termites eat wood. Especially natural, growing or rotting wood. Michigan’s abundant and protected forests are a paradise for hungry termites, and unfortunately, so are any nearby homes.

stink bug

Stink Bugs

Like we covered last month, stink bugs are relatively new to Michigan, but we’re included them because they’ve quickly become a problem. The main problem species is the brown marmorated stink bug. This species is native to Asia and considered invasive in the US. It was first discovered in Michigan in 2010 in Berrien County. Stink bugs are notoriously good at proliferating by hitching rides with travelers by stowing away in luggage, bags, cars, or even clothes.

Stink bugs feed primarily on vegetable, fruit, nut, and legume crops, so they’re a big problem for Michigan farmers. While they aren’t nearly unique to Michigan, our climate, farms, and ecological diversity make the state a perfect environment for stink bugs to stink up.

bedbug

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs become a problem for any area that has a highly mobile populace, an older urban infrastructure, and/or a rural and urban areas in relatively close proximity. Michigan, like many states in America, has all of these. Bed bugs are even better at hitching rides with unsuspecting travellers than even stink bugs.

As people travel into and out of Detroit and Michigan’s other major cities, they often end up carrying bed bugs in and out, too. Once they make it to the big city, bed bugs find their way into buildings by exploiting the sorts of cracks and crevices that naturally show up in older buildings. Worst of all, bed bugs can be really difficult to get rid of, because they lay tiny eggs in great numbers and reproduce quickly. A lot of the bed bugs in Detroit have been living there for hundreds of generations.

boxelder bug

Boxelder Bugs

For boxelder bugs, the motivation is right in the name. This species of true bug (boxelder bugs are not a beetle, contrary to popular belief) feed almost exclusively on acer tree species like boxelder trees, along with maple and ash trees.

As you may have guessed, Michigan has a lot of acer trees. Unlike a lot of pests, boxelders need to hibernate in the winter. Boxelder swarms happen in Michigan around fall for two reasons: one, the eggs adult boxelders hatch on acer trees hatch. Two, because boxelders need to find shelter to get through the winter. Michigan winters get cold and come fast, so boxelders get desperate, and you see a lot of them around your house.

 

Every region in the world has its own ecosystem and its own unique set of pest problems. At least the pest problems we have generally come about because of how pretty and well-preserved our state is! If you have an infestation, however, chances are you’re not thinking too much about how beautiful Michigan’s forests are.

Luckily, Michigan also has us: one of the best pest control companies in the country. The next time you have a pest problem, no matter how minor or severe, give us a call today.

Griffin Takes the Pay Equality Pledge

The Problem

Today is Equal Pay Day, but unfortunately, many of us don’t have much to celebrate. According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW)’s Spring 2017 report The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, women still make only 80% of what men are paid for equivalent positions in the US. For women of color, the wage gap is even worse.

Embarrassingly, the pace at which the wage gap is closing has actually slowed. At the rate our country is currently progressing, women won’t have pay equity with men until 2152.

What We’re Doing

Griffin Pest believes that is unacceptable. In honor of Equal Pay Day and the professional women we’re proud to call employees, Griffin has decided to participate in Glassdoor’s Equal Pay Pledge. By taking the pledge and writing this blog, Griffin formally commits to doing everything we can to create fair and equitable pay practices for the women in our employ.

By doing our part to end the gender wage gap, Griffin believes we are creating a more united, better workforce. Our commitment to treating all of our employees with respect and fairness reflects our commitment to treating you with the same respect and fairness. By joining the many other companies taking the Equal Pay Pledge, Griffin wants to demonstrate our commitment to equality and excellence in all aspects of our profession.

What You Can Do

If you’d like to do your part for equal pay for men and women, you can learn more about the wage gap from sources like the AAUW and the National Partnership for Women & Families and take the Equal Pay Pledge yourself. Then, encourage your workplace, friends, and family to do the same!

Once you’ve joined us, tweet with us using the #StandforEqualPay hashtag to voice your support. Together, we can make pay equality a reality.

Simple Ways to Keep Pests Out

cartoon cockroach with "no" sign over it

Getting pests out of your home can be hard. Keeping them out in the first place doesn’t have to be. Most kinds of common household pests get into homes using the same couple tried-and-true infiltration tactics. It’s easy to pest-proof your home by depriving pests of ways they get in, and periodically checking for any new vulnerabilities.

If you’re interested in learning how you can pest-proof your home quickly, easily, and efficiently, start by checking off the items on this list. Following these basic steps will make it hard for even the most tenacious of pests to let themselves in.

 

Air conditioning units

Seal Around Utility Lines

Pests like ants, spiders, cockroaches, earwigs, and rodents use small gaps where your utilities enter your house to sneak in. Look for places where utility lines enter your home. Using caulk, steel wool, or an equivalent sealant, fill in the gap between your house and these utility lines.

Do this outside and inside. If you can see daylight shining through a gap, it’s big enough for a pest to fit through. Seal it up. Don’t worry–you won’t impair the function of any gas, electrical, or water lines by filling in gaps, but you will keep pests out.

 

Technician installing weatherstripping

Weatherstrip Doors and Windows

Weatherstripping acts as a cover over the natural gaps between the door or window and its seal. This cover prevents drafts and keeps cold out, but it also helps prevent pests.

Check each door and window. If you notice it’s crooked, have trouble closing it, or feel a draft, it may be time to replace the weatherstripping. Pests can chew through worn weatherstripping, so if you’re unsure at all, replace it right away.

 

crack in foundation

Seal Cracks

The number one way pests get into houses is through tiny gaps in the siding, floorboards, foundation, or walls. Mice can fit through any dime-sized opening!

Look for likely places indoors and out where pests may be able to squeeze in. Check low and high especially, as well as in corners or unfinished parts of the house. Look for holes in insulation or cracks in the flooring.

 

trimming branches

Lawn Maintenance

Yards with lawn debris such as loose leaves, fallen sticks and branches, or overgrown shrubs are attractive to a wide variety of common house pests looking for shelter and food. Spiders, roaches, and even rodents can use overgrown ornamental plants to climb onto and into your home.

Rake up leaves in the fall, gather fallen sticks, and trim bushes and shrubbery to eliminate possible sources of shelter and food for unwanted pests. Keep any firewood stored outdoors at least 10 feet away from the house. Trim trees and ornamental plants so that they never directly touch your house.

 

Throwing out trash bags

Take Out the Trash

Leaving trash out, whether it’s in the open or in bags or cans, will attract pests looking for a meal. One of the best things you can do to make your house less appealing to unwelcome guests is to take your trash out every night.

Store your trash bin at least 10 feet away from the house. Rinse out any bottles or cans before you recycle them, too. Recyclables should be taken out with the trash every night.

 

dirty dishes in sink

Don’t Leave Dishes Out

Whether it’s the moisture from the dishwasher or the debris left behind on plates after a meal, pests can’t get enough of it. Food and water on plates attract pests like crazy, especially the sugary water of soft drinks.

Wash, dry, and put away any and all dishes before you go to sleep at night. You could do this right before you take out the garbage and kill two birds (or pests, in this case) with one stone.

 

 

Pests are notoriously crafty, and it’s possible that even these pest-proof methods won’t always be enough. If you find that’s the case, give Griffin Pest Control a call. We’ll find the source of your infestation, deal with the pests, and show you how to prevent it from ever happening again.

Problems Pests Can Make For You This Winter

Only a few of Michigan’s smaller pests can survive the state’s harsh cold, so to escape from it they seek out shelter wherever they can stay warm and comfortable. Often that shelter is someone’s home.

Once inside, pests create the kinds of problems no one wants to deal with, especially when temperatures are so low. Keep a particular eye out for winter pests and the problems they cause… since it could literally pay off.

 

sunlight coming through cracks in wall

Drafts

A lot of pests get into homes by biting or smashing their way through soft or compromised building materials like insulation, rotting wood, or old plaster and caulk. Once inside, they aren’t conscientious enough to seal up the tiny doorway behind them.

The gaps created by pest infiltration may seem small, but they can add up. Gaps in a home’s insulation create a vacuum. Hot air generated by your heater is literally sucked through this vacuum and out of your home at the same time cold air moves in. Pest-created drafts are especially likely in unfinished parts of your home, or if your home was built a long time ago.

 

Uncovered, rusty pipe valve leaking steam

Leaks

Rodents are attracted to water and gas lines by the smell or moisture given off. Their constant need to teethe means any rodent allowed to get close to and stay by a water or gas line will work away at it constantly with its teeth. Over time, rodents are capable of wearing down even metal pipes, producing leaks and ruptures.

Even the smallest gas leaks are extremely dangerous and should be dealt with immediately. You may be tempted to leave tiny water leaks alone, but you shouldn’t. Water leaks in winter may compromise your pipe system’s ability to keep the water within from freezing. If your pipes freeze, it will bring down your whole plumbing system until an expensive repair can be made. Even if your pipes don’t freeze, even hairline leaks like the ones created by pests can waste a lot of water and money.

 

Sick-looking woman wrapped up in red blanket and holding yellow cup

Sickness

Pests are dirty. When pests get into your home, they drag their dirt and grime along with them. Rats, fleas, and ticks can also transmit diseases to humans via their skin, fur, dropping, saliva, or blood. Most pests also generate a lot of… waste, which soils anything it comes in contact with, especially clothing, blankets, and pillows.

Keeping a home clean when your family spends a lot of time indoors is enough of a hassle, and getting sick in the winter is the worst. There’s also a simple psychological component to keeping pests out that shouldn’t be underestimated: seeing a rat in your basement or swatting at flies around your garbage is just demoralizing, especially when the weather is so bleak.

 

Piggy bank sitting on several bills of cash, balanced on radiator

Power Costs

You may have already noticed, but leaks and drafts add up to higher power costs. Small leaks in your plumbing waste water and money. Even drafts you can’t feel suck hot air out and make your heating work harder, which wastes power and money. More serious problems could necessitate expensive repairs.

It’s a good idea to monitor your heating and water bills especially closely in the winter. You’ll naturally see a hike in your heating bill, but if something seems off about the amount you’re paying, follow your instincts. Look for places where water, heat, and money could be leaking away.

 

Pest infestations in the winter time can be really bad news. Now for the good news: you aren’t on your own. No matter how significant or minor your particular pest problem, call Griffin and we’ll take care of it right away. Stay warm this winter, and remember: spring is just around the corner!