Termites and Wet Soil in Andrews and Seminole: 5 Moisture Checks Around Your Slab This Fall
Andrews and Seminole are dry towns most of the year, so it surprises people that the termites under their homes are always hunting for water. Native subterranean termites live in the soil and dry out fast in open air. That is why they build mud tubes, and why they gather wherever the ground next to your slab stays damp. Fall is a good time to walk the outside of the house and find those wet spots before spring swarm season in the Permian Basin.
Tip: walk the foundation the morning after you water
Pick a morning after your sprinklers run and walk all the way around the house. Look at the strip of soil right against the slab. Most of it should be dry or barely damp. Any spot that is muddy, dark, or green with moss is a spot termites will like too.
Five wet spots to check around your slab
AC condensate lines. The drain line from your AC can drip right against the foundation for months. Run it a few feet away from the slab or onto a splash block.
Hose bibs and faucets. A slow drip at an outdoor faucet keeps the same small patch of soil wet all year. Replace worn washers and keep hoses coiled off the ground.
Sprinkler overspray. Heads that hit the brick or soak the soil line every cycle keep the foundation damp. Turn them so they water the lawn and beds, not the wall.
Gutters and downspouts. Water that dumps at the corner of the house soaks in right where termites enter. Add extensions or splash blocks so it runs away from the slab.
Grade and beds. Soil and mulch should slope away from the house, and the soil line should sit a few inches below the top of the slab so mud tubes are easier to see.
Why it matters now
Termites do not go away when it cools off. Colonies keep working in the soil through fall and winter, and the swarmers you might see in spring come from a colony that is already there. Drying out the soil along your slab now makes your home less inviting, and it makes any mud tubes on the foundation easier to spot. If you find tubes, soft wood, or blistered paint near a baseboard or door frame, do not break everything open. Call us so we can take a look.
What Tejas does
Tejas Pest and Weed Control works on homes and businesses across Andrews, Seminole, and the Permian Basin. Our termite services include:
Termite inspections, including WDI reports
Active termite treatment when activity is confirmed
Termite pre-treatments for new construction
When we come out, we walk the full foundation, point out wet spots and soil-to-slab problems, and explain what we find in plain words. You can see more at https://www.tejaspwc.com/termites, or visit our local pages at https://www.tejaspwc.com/andrews-pest-control and https://www.tejaspwc.com/seminole-pest-control.
Call or text Tejas
Call or text 432-934-5248 to set up a termite inspection in Andrews, Seminole, or nearby towns.
Tejas Pest and Weed Control · Andrews yard: 2184 SE 2460, Andrews, TX 79714 · Midland yard: 3112 E County Rd 139, Midland, TX 79706 · 432-934-5248 · office@tejaspwc.com
