Albany, New York (March 25, 2013) – This week, Thomas Pest Services is proud to observe Termite Awareness Week, an annual observance by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) to promote public vigilance against termites and educate homeowners about ways to ensure their properties don’t fall victim to this voracious pest.

“Pest proofing and home improvement projects are often designated to the spring season. Now is the perfect time of year to remind homeowners to take the necessary steps to protect their greatest investment from costly damage,” said Sarah Thomas-Clark, Vice President at Thomas Pest Services. “Because termites aren’t often detected until it’s too late, we advise consumers to arrange for annual termite inspections from a qualified pest professional.”

Termites feed 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the cellulose found in wood and paper products. They can silently chew through structures undetected and cause more than $5 billion in property damage every year, an expense that isn’t typically covered under homeowners’ insurance policies.

In this region, we are especially concerned about the prevalence of subterranean termites and proper identification of the species is essential to effective treatment,” added Thomas-Clark. Winged, reproductive termites are commonly mistaken for ants, but there are several differences between an ant and termite. Termite swarmers have four same size wings. Flying ants also have four wings, but they have two larger wings in front and two smaller wings behind.

The NPMA offers the following prevention tips for homeowners to help guard against termites:

• Carefully inspect the perimeter of the home for mud tubes and rotting wood.
• Repair fascia, soffits and rotted roof shingles.
• Keep basements, attics and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.
• Maintain a one-inch gap between soil and wood portions of the home.
• Store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house and check it for pests before bringing it indoors.
• Divert water away from the home through properly functioning downspouts and gutters.

Termites love the sandy soil in the Capital Region! Thomas Pest Services is your Ballston Spa termite control specialist proud to offer the best termite protection available, the Sentricon Termite Elimination System. Thomas Pest Services offers the greenest termite protection available, which currently protects the White House and Statue of Liberty. Termites will begin to swarm soon, so if you see piles of insect wings,termite damage, or other signs, contact Thomas Pest Services for a free inspection. Termites eat wood 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, do not let termites damage your structure!