Rain in Houston bringing flooding and termites

View The Original Article Here

Experts say termites love the rain and they’re more likely to survive in a wet environment.

A different kind of bad guys are creating problems in your homes — and no we’re not talking about the pets.

We’re talking termites!

And the constant rain is making the infestation even worse.

We spoke with a local pest control company, ABC Home and Commercial Services, and they said these little insects have been quite a problem for many people in the Houston area.

Employees said they have been swamped with phone calls from homeowners looking for help.

Experts said termites love the rain and they’re more likely to survive in a wet environment.

The freeze we had in February, they said, delayed insect activity — specifically termites, and now it’s causing a problem for lots of residents.

Experts said they don’t really need much room to get into your home. They just need a gap as thick as your fingernail to get in and feed off the wood.

“What we are seeing right now, just late swarms of subterranean termites that are flying out. What they want to do is distribute out to the environment and they want to separate, get in the ground and males and females want to start colonies of their own,” said ABC president Raleigh Jenkins.

So if you see termites in your house you can use hair spray to knock them down and vacuum them up.

Make sure you capture a few so you can identify the problem and call an expert for help.

If you are calling an expert to help you out, make sure they’re a credible company you can call in the future to come back and take care of that warranty work if needed.

But if you can’t afford a professional pest company, you can try remedies from a local hardware store. But make sure you follow the instructions to a tee.

By the way, experts tell us vinegar and lemon don’t really work. 

ALSO POPULAR ON KHOU.COM