Since insects require food, water, and shelter be cautious not to create invitations for entry.  Keep doors properly sealed with weather stripping and maintain sturdy, well sealed screens for the windows. Keep landscaping trimmed back from the house. Clean trash cans regularly and store these away from the house. Store foods in sealed containers and don’t leave pet foods out for long periods of time. These are a few ways to minimize pest invasion however, product application for prevention as well as eradication is often necessary.

Some pest management products work on contact and some have to be ingested. Baiting has become a resourceful tool in various forms of pest management where the insect feeds on the gel form of product. Contact us to have your house protected against the many unwanted pests that come with the spring weather. We can provide effective programs to meet all your pest management needs.

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

            The wood destroying insect report, known as the NPCA-1FORM, and the Moisture Report are inspections made by a termite company to disclose any visible signs of wood destroying insects, such as termites or wood boring beetles and excessive moisture conditions that may be dangerous to the understructure of the house. The termite inspector must also report any damage present from insects or moisture and make a note to have the damage evaluated by a qualified licensed contractor.

            The Virginia State Pest Management Association offers a course designed to provide additional training to licensed pest control operators in inspecting homes and preparing the NPCA-1 form. Each inspector has to show proficiency by passing a written test in order to receive certification. Although this certification is not required, the additional training is very valuable in preparing the necessary forms for closing.  All of the inspectors at US Termite and Moisture Control are recognized by the Virginia Pest Management Association (VPMA) as certified wood destroying insect inspectors as well as certified Master Technicians.

            As a home buyer or seller, make sure you read and understand the results of the report. It is not uncommon to have more than one company inspect the property to compare the findings and costs for possible repairs and/or treatments. Ask if the inspector is a certified wood destroying insect inspector and do not hesitate to speak directly to the inspector about the findings. Verify that the company and inspector are properly licensed and insured. US Termite also holds a state Class A building license and is qualified to make repairs to insect and moisture damage.  If you are looking to buy, sell or refinance, contact the professionals at US Termite and Moisture Control.

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

In most cases, the first sign of a healthy termite colony is the appearance of a termite swarm. This usually occurs in the spring and the fall; however we have already discovered houses with a swarm in February when abnormally high temperatures were here. When a termite colony reaches a certain population level, winged reproductive swarmers made up of roughly 50% male and 50% female will leave the nest at the same time in a short period of time, within 5 to 45 minutes.

In large colonies, swarms can go on for two or more days. The male and female then match and search for a suitable piece of wood to begin to nest. Often homeowners will mistake an ant swarm with a termite swarm due to some similarities of the two.

Identification is most important so collect some of the insects in a baggie and have a professional make a proper identification.  Termite swarmers have 2 pair of long and narrow wings with very few visible veins. Both the front and the back pair of wings are nearly equal in size and length.

With winged ants, they have two pair of wings with several distinct cross front veins shaped like long triangles and the back pair is much shorter than the front pair.  In either case- termite or ant swarmer, be sure to have the insect professionally identified by our exterminators so proper action can be implemented.

If you do not witness the actual termite swarm, you will usually find just the wings on the window sill and on the floor because the wings are shed before excavating into wood areas.  Also signs of termite activity can include pencil sized trailing mud tubes, bubbled or distorted areas of painted surfaces.  Take action even before a termite infestation by having your home professionally inspected annually. Proper inspection and action will only increase the protection of your home. Contact US Termite and Moisture Control and have your investment protected against termite infestation. We remain “Your Total Home Care Service Company”.

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

Foundation vents provide added warmth.

Living in the Tidewater area means a constant change in weather. We have seen temperatures over the past couple of months range from the 70’s to the low 30’s.
It is standard practice to close the foundation vents of the house when the winter months arrive to protect plumbing under the house, as well as limiting the cold air filtering into the house from the floors. On the other hand, allowing the crawl space to ventilate whenever the temperatures are high enough is an ideal situation, but not very practical. Standard foundation vents require manual opening and closing, which means once shut for the winter, they stay shut until spring. I recommend temperature regulated foundation vents.

These vents are ideal for this area due to the range of temperatures throughout the year. The vents will automatically open and close with the temperature. The auto vents begin to open when outside air reaches 41 degrees.  This special vent allows needed airflow to the crawl space during ideal times in the winter months. This affordable tool to home maintenance can be provided by US Termite and Moisture Control. Call today for more information on the temperature regulated foundation vents.

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

With their dusky gray colored back and lighter gray on their underside, the common house mouse will nest in any portion of the house usually near a food source.  The mice are very active at night and will limit their traveling in any direction up to 50 feet away from the nest.

The old saying, “We have a mouse in the house,” is often wrong. The house mouse reproduces very quickly, having an average of 6 per litter and up to 8 times a year! So if you see a mouse in the house, there are more than likely, several more close by.

The biggest problem with this household pest is the contamination of our food. These rodents are urinating and leaving behind droppings over our food preparing surfaces and sometimes unprotected foods, causing the spread of many harmful diseases.

Control starts with sanitation and there is no substitute for this. Sanitation must be achieved both inside the structure and outside. If you have pets, don’t leave food containers out and keep high vegetation down. Also limit openings for the mice to enter your home.  This can be a challenge since a full grown mouse can squeeze through a ¼” opening.

An infestation of mice in a home requires quick and often professional help due to the rapid reproductive rate of the rodents. Contact US Termite and Moisture Control for a rodent control program to protect your property and your health.

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

U.S. Termite & Moisture Control has taken steps to avoid it’s current and future customers rate hikes in their services from the continued increase in fuel costs! Many companies are passing these expenses along to their customers in price increases, fuel increase surcharges and the like.

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control has also been the victim of these charges and increases. In case “you” the buying public hasn’t noticed, some of these increases are not in proportion to what some companies have raised their prices too!

We at U.S. Termite & Moisture Control have! What we at UST have decided not to increase our prices, but to down size some of our fleet veh icles to decrease our costs, so we do not have to pass them along to you! Our aim and goal is to not have to treat our customers as victims of the economy as others have, just figuring they have no options.  We think we can sacrifice a little room and comfort to continue to treat our customers as the great people you are! “When you call us and have us come out, now we will likely take up less room.”

Enjoy the savings!

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

In March Allied Video Services rolled out a large new video campaign for US Termite and Moisture Control in Chesapeake VA. The campaign features a variety of themes including parading ants, a talking mouse and a disgruntled bug. Through creative animation, elaborate graphics and voiceovers, Allied Video Services created videos representing US Termite and Moisture Control’s Pest Control Division, Moisture Control Divison, Termite Control Division and Construction Division. The videos will be featured along with others in a online campaign across the internet.

Allied Video is a local video production company that specializes in Internet Marketing and SEO. Allied Video is located in the Greenbrier area of Chesapeake and has been serving Hampton Roads for over 28 years. This campaign introduces a new wave of online outreach by US termite and Moisture Control to better serve their clients. The campaign coincides with the introduction of a new website.

Allied Video Services has worked with many area companies with innovative website designs and viral SEO campaign. They can be reached at http://www.avsvideo.com .

These videos are just the first part in a comphrehensive online campaign.

Many of the campaign spots can be see at http://www.ustermite.com in the media section. Here is a sample.

Topic: Allied Video Services  creates new campaign

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control

US Termite and Moisture Control Unveils New Website

In March 2012,  US Termite and Moisture Control  unveiled its new website to help serve the Hampton Roads community. The comprehensive website contains helpful information on a variety of pest problems as well as solutions. Besides extensive service offerings and extended bios, visitors can find helpful information in the form of detailed articles about common pests. These articles help the visitor recognize the pest they are seeing and informs them as to its dangers and habits.

The new website was designed by Allied Video Services in Chesapeake VA. and can be found at http://www.ustermite.com

Topic: US Termite New Website

U.S. Termite and Moisture Control