If you notice signs of termites in your home this cold season, you might wonder how it's even possible for the pests to survive during winter. Termites are formidable pests throughout the year, including winter. Don't let termites surprise you this cold season. Take the pests out with these tips.

How Do Termites Survive Winter?

Termites can become serious problems in warm buildings during the cold season, including residential homes. The insects burrow deep below the ground but can travel to your home to escape the cold. Once inside your house, termites find a place to wait out the season. One of these places termites hide is your basement.

Basements usually contain hot water heaters and furnaces. These large appliances can give off a great deal of heat during operation. If the basement warms up enough, the heat can "wake up" the sleeping termites.

You might see termites flitting around your lamps, windows, and other structures that produce or allow light to filter inside the house. You might see signs of termite damage, including crumbling pieces of wood and droppings. Until you find the source of the pests in your home, you'll continue see signs of them.

How Do You Eliminate Your Termite Invasion?

It's a good idea that you contact a pest control company for services. Termite exterminators can search and inspect your home for termite activity, including your basement. Exterminators may need to test the wood in your basement's walls and flooring to find the pests. Once the contractors locate and positively identify the pests as termites, they'll treat your home.

Termite exterminators may treat the wood in your house with special insecticides, or the professionals may tent your entire home. If the pests are only isolated to your basement and nowhere else in the house, wood treatment may be an option. But if exterminators find termites throughout your house, tenting is often the best choice. Pest control contractors will discuss the methods they use and help you choose the most effective treatment for your home.

After exterminators eliminate the termites in your home, keep the pests away by monitoring your property for termites in the spring and summer. The insects are most active during these times of the year. You can also seal any openings in your basement that allow insects to enter it. Termites can return if they find a way inside your basement.

For more tips or information about cold season termites, contact an exterminating company today or visit a site like http://www.craigandsons.com.