8 Facts about Pest & Termite Control All Homeowners Need to Know

If you own a home, chances are that you haven’t thought about termite pest control very much since the initial inspections upon purchase of the home. Most homeowners don’t think about termites until they see the signs of a possible infestation, and often not until it’s too late to avoid serious damage. An unchecked infestation of termites or other pests can result in structural damage and unsafe living conditions for kids, grownups, and pets alike. Termite and pest control are serious business for homeowners and should not be taken lightly. Knowledge is the first step. So, if you want to keep your home free of termites, here are eight facts you need to know. 1. There are Two Species of Termite Found in the U.S.

Termites might form different types of colonies depending on whether they are Drywood or Subterranean termites. The Subterranean species, which is found everywhere in the U.S. besides Alaska, forms colonies underground including thousands of workers and prefers to eat soft wood fiber found in sunnier climates. The Drywood species prefers dry wood (as the name implies), can form several colonies in one home, and does not need to live in the soil to survive.

2. Winged Termites are a Sure Sign of Infestation

If you have spotted winged termites in your home, you can bet that the wood is already seriously infested with termites. They form wings when they’re ready to leave the colony, breed, and start colonies of their own.

3. Termites Won’t Leave a Trace of Sawdust

If you’ve found wood damage accompanies by sawdust piles, you may be suffering from some sort of infestation, but it isn’t termites. A colony of termites would want to eat as much wood as possible, so you would be more likely to find a series of hollow tunnels with traces of dirt.

4. Mud Tubes May Also Mean Your Home’s Infested

Mud tubes around the floor joists, foundation, piers, and sills of a home may also be sign of a termite infestation. Termites often build these tubes to live, hide, and travel in.

5. Sometimes There Are No Signs At All

While there are many ways to spot a termite infestation, sometimes the damage can continue unnoticed for a very long time. Termites can tunnel within the interior of the wood without hitting the surface and revealing themselves. This is why inspections are encouraged.

6. Termites Don’t Always Live in the Homes They Feed On

Since some types of termites live in the soil, they can actually make their home underground and merely travel inside every day to feed. This makes them even harder to spot without professional assistance, and impossible to kill with “spot treatments.”

7. The Damage Will Occur Slowly Over Time

It takes months for termites to do serious damage, but once it’s done it’s done. Since termites work so slowly, though, it pays to take the time to find the right company that you can trust with your residential termite control. Temecula homeowners are fortunate to have Black Knight Termite & Pest Control, a locally owned and operated company with an excellent reputation that they can trust in.

8. The Right Treatment Depends on Your Needs

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all treatment for termite control. Some homeowners prefer natural termite control options, for example. There are also different treatments depending on whether Subterranean or Drywood termites have infested the home, including drill-and-injections, foam injections, trench-and-treatments, whole house fumigations, thermal heat, localized treatment, and foam treatment.

To learn more about your termite control options, contact Black Knight Termite & Pest Control today.

What Do You Need to Know About Termite Control During Winter

When it comes to termite control, Temecula homeowners often forget about the problem once they’ve gotten the initial inspection that is required when they purchase their home. That is, until they find structural damage resulting from a termite infestation. Once the problem becomes noticeable enough to notice the structural damage, though, it might be too late to avoid seriously expensive repairs or worse. There’s always a chance that termites and other pests will become a problem, so it’s important to be prepared. Even during winter. Here’s everything you need to know about termite control during winter so you can avoid the worst case scenario and relax knowing your home is safe. How Active Are Termites During Winter?   

One of the first things you need to know about termite control during winter is that termites can be active year-round. While it’s true that termites are less active throughout most of the country between the winter months of December and February, this isn’t always the case in Southern California cities like Temecula. In a warm region where temperatures can reach 70 degrees or higher during the winter, which is often the case in Southern California, it’s even possible to see swarms of termites during these typically “less active” months.

Which Kind of Termites is More Active in Winter?

Drywood termites are more likely to stay active year-round. Subterranean termites will usually seem less active in the winter months as they dig deeper into the ground to stay warm, although the workers will still be actively foraging. If you already have a termite infiltration, though, the colder winter months will not deter them from digging deeper into your home’s foundation and/or walls. In fact, the cold outside makes it more inviting for them to stay.

What Can You Do to Stay Termite-Free all Winter Long?

The best way to make sure your home is termite-free all winter long is to invest in routine pest control. Temecula homeowners can rest assured that their home is free from termites and other pests by investing in the services of a trained termite inspector. Black Knight Termite & Pest Control, Inc. offers a variety of termite and other pest control services, ranging from the one-time service arrangement to ongoing pest control maintenance, with highly skilled, trained technicians living and working in the Temecula area. Contact your local termite expert today to learn more.

The Essential Steps to Winter Rodent Control

With everything you have to worry about as winter approaches, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is pest control. Temecula homeowners are particularly susceptible to rodent infestations during the cold winter months, though, so if you want to avoid huge headaches down the road it’s important to be prepared. People settle into their homes for the winter, and there’s a good chance rats and mice will want to settle into your warm home, too. With rodents come increased risks to health and property – there’s even an increased chance of fire from gnawed-through electrical wires. Here are the essential steps you need to take to protect your home from rats, mice, and other rodents this winter: 1. Make Sure All Entrances Are Sealed

As winter approaches it’s a good idea to go around the perimeter of the house to seal any cracks where rodents could potentially enter the home. Also make sure to install weather-strips at the bottom of all doors leading into the home.

2. Focus on Food in the Kitchen

With food, water and warmth, the kitchen has everything rodents need to hunker down for a cold winter. Every time you leave food sitting out you may be inviting rats and mice to come and stay a while. So keep all food out of sight and properly sealed when you go to bed at night, including debris and dirty dishes in the sink, pet food, snacks kept out in containers, and even garbage.

3. Manage Your Yard and Garden

Rats, mice and other rodents are more likely to be attracted to your property if they see a lot of vegetation around, and they’ll find it easier to enter your home if that vegetation is close to its exterior. This doesn’t mean you should get rid of your garden or switch to a sparsely vegetated landscape. Do, however, trim the trees and bushes so they don’t hang over the house, and plant vegetation at least a foot away from the home’s perimeter.

4. Keep Your Home as Clean as Possible

Aside from the kitchen, it’s important to keep bedrooms, bathrooms, and other living spaces inside your home clean to avoid rodent infestations during the winter. Make sure food waste isn’t kept in open trash cans, throw beverage cans and bottles into the recycling bin rather than leaving them sitting around, and pick up after your pets. If there are kids in the house, also make sure they follow these rules in their bedrooms.

5. Call for Help if You Need It

If you believe you’ve found signs of rats or mice in your home, don’t hesitate to invest in professional rodent control. Temecula homeowners can call Black Knight for honest, local, reliable and safe pest control services year-round. If you leave the problem to deal with later, though, you might be putting your family and your property in danger.

4 Reasons Black Knight Termite & Pest Control is 1st Choice for Murrieta Homeowners

As many homeowners know, it is important to be careful when hiring a service provider for pest control. Murrieta residents are fortunate, however, to have a local pest control company that they can trust in to keep their homes safe from pests of all sorts. Black Knight Termite & Pest Control specializes in ant control, bee services, bird control, flea control, gopher control, rodent control, snail control, and spider control. Murrieta homeowners have been turning to Black Knight for all their pest control needs – not just the company’s well-known termite control services – for more than 20 years. But if that’s not enough to convince you, just consider these four reasons why Black Knight Termite and Pest Control is the leading choice for homeowners in Murrieta: 1. Convenience of a One-Stop Solution

One of the most compelling reasons to choose Black Knight over other pest control companies doing business in the area is our comprehensive array of services, which include far more than just termite control. Murrieta residents can count on our team for everything from ant control to spider control, with options ranging from one-time to monthly services. We are your one-stop solution for eradicating pest problems and leaving your property safe.

2. Upfront, Professional Business Style

The team at Black Knight strives to do business in an honest and direct way, with prices and other information about our services clearly listed on our website. Customers are encouraged to ask questions and voice their concerns. Unlike some other pest control service providers, we have made transparency part of our overall mission and business model.

3. Local Company = Local Perspective

Doing business with local companies just makes sense for the strength of the community. It also makes sense for individual homeowners, because a local company is more likely to understand your point of view.  Black Knight Termite & Pest Control has been a locally owned and operated business serving Temecula, Murrieta, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. We understand the local community, and we aim to give back to it as much as we can.

4. An Iron-Clad Satisfaction Seal

Whether they’re in need of termite control or rodent control, Murrieta residents and business owners have come to count on Black Knight over the last two decades. If this still isn’t enough to convince you, though, just consider that our services are backed by one of the best guarantees in the business: our “Black Knight Satisfaction Seal.” This means the company does everything possible to make sure every customer is satisfied, every time.

Whether you are a Murrieta homeowner facing pest control problems or a new home buyer in need of a termite inspection, Black Knight Termite & Pest Control is the #1 choice for your needs. Don’t delay, call your leading local pest control service provider today.

Top 5 Advantages of Choosing a Local Pest Control Company in Temecula

Most homeowners have a variety of choices should they find themselves in need of pest control. Temecula homeowners are no different. There are several national pest control chains that have branches in the Temecula area, in addition to local companies like Black Knight Termite & Pest Control that are strongly tied to the community. After serving the Temecula, Murrieta, and surrounding areas for more than 20 years, Black Knight has proven its ability to satisfy customers time and time again with services ranging from ant control to spider control. Temecula residents may have many choices, but there are several reasons why a local company like this is the way to go. The following top five advantages of going local for pest control should help make this distinction clear. 1. It Supports the Whole Community

Research has shown that purchasing goods and services from a locally owned and operated company is more beneficial for businesses throughout the community, because the local business owner is more likely to purchase materials, supplies, and services from other local companies. A national chain, on the other hand, will likely order everything from uniforms to office supplies from a national supplier. So whether in need of a good cup of coffee, a new set of tires, or pest control services ranging from bee services to rodent control, Temecula residents are better off supporting the local brands.

2. Going Local Helps You Go Green

If you’re concerned about your carbon footprint, or simply interested in in making small changes to in an effort to “go green,” choosing local companies over large corporations just makes sense. Since local businesses tend to be located closer to the center of towns rather than the outskirts, and tend to purchase more of the goods and services that they need to operate from other local companies, their day-to-day operations simply require less transportation. This is not only good for the community, but good for the whole planet because it helps reduce congestion, habitat loss, pollution, and sprawl.

2. More Jobs for Local Residents

When a business is owned by locals and wholly operated within the local community, it will result in more jobs for residents throughout the community. Local businesses tend to create better jobs, and tend to attract employees who are there to stay rather than simply earn a paycheck for a while before moving onto the next job. And since locally owned and operated businesses purchase more goods and services from other local companies, rather than large corporate suppliers, the influence can spread to small businesses throughout the city or town.

3. The Service is Simply Better

Research has also shown that locally owned and operated businesses provider better service than the national or international chains. This is because the owners and employees are all more invested. Owners of small businesses have more stock in their local reputation, are more invested in the area, and have more to lose when their business fails. Employees of small businesses also tend to have more interest in the success of their employer’s business because they know the company’s leaders and live in the same community as them. Owners and employees of local businesses also tend to have more knowledge of the services they provide, as opposed to national chains that hire entry-level employees and provide minimal training.

5. Local Businesses are Better for Local Taxpayers

National chains also tend to make less efficient use of public services and require more infrastructure investment compared to locally owned and operated stores. Since corporate-owned businesses have limited concern for local economies, and require a great deal of expensive infrastructure investments to come into small communities, their arrival can bring negative consequences for local taxpayers and few benefits in exchange.

So, whether in need of ant control, bee services, bird control, flea control, gopher control, rodent control, snail control, spider control, or termite control, Temecula residents should always remember to go local. Fortunately, Black Knight makes it easy with a one-stop solution for all things pest-related.