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Are you protected?

5/7/2019

46 Comments

 

​Did you know that termite damage isn't covered under most homeowner's insurance policies?

Most insurance companies don't cover the cost of termite repair due the fact that termite damage is something that the homeowner can prevent through regular home maintenance. 
Aerial view of home: Photo by David McBee from Pexels
Photo by David McBee from Pexels

​Each year OVER HALF A MILLION homes are damaged by termites.

Many homeowners may not realize just how vulnerable their home is to outside pests. Termites alone cost American homeowners upwards of $5 billion dollars a year in damage.

How vulnerable is my home?

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​South Carolina is located in TIP (Termite Infestation Probability) Zone #1 which means the potential for termite damage is considered to be very heavy. The warm, wet climate creates desirable living conditions for termites and other wood destroying organisms. 

In fact, the likelihood of your home being eaten by termites is 10 times greater than the possibility of your home being destroyed by a fire.

What's a Formosan Termite, and why should I be worried?


​Formosan termites were first discovered in the continental U.S. here in Charleston in the 1950s, and this species of termite prefers the climate of southern states. Charleston in particular is an area in extreme high risk due to the warm and moist climate in our area. 

Formosan termites will use mud tubes to bring moisture to their colonies which are located in nests below ground. These tubes mean that the termites don't have to return to the soil as often leading to more damage to your home. 
Formosan Termites
Formosan Termites
​These termites are aggressive and not afraid to put up a fight,  and they will definitely defend what they determine to be their territories. Formosan termites act quickly, and they can cause a lot of damage in not a lot of time. These termites reproduce fast! The queen can lay around 1,000 eggs in a single day contributing to how quickly one colony can destroy a home. ​

How can I tell if I have a Formosan Termite problem?

Formosan Termite SwarmersFormosan Swarmers
​There are some warning signs that you should pay attention to in order to tell if you might have a termite infestation. One warning is the presence of termite swarmers. Termite swarmers are adult termites with wings who leave their colonies to mate and create new colonies. These particular winged termites sole purpose is to reproduce.

​You can see evidence of termite s
warmers when you see them flying around your porch lights. Another warning to pay attention to is if you see their wings dropped near your doors, windows, vents, and other parts of your home. This is a sign that termites are nearby, have potentially found a mate, and could very well be creating a colony right under your nose. 

What can be done?

There are preventative measures you can take to make your home less appealing to termites.
What can you do to help prevent termites
  • Pay attention to what happens to rain runoff in relation to the exterior of your home. When it rains, does the water head straight to your foundation? If so, you should use gutters to divert the water away from your home. 
  • Avoid stacking firewood against the foundation of your home
  • Do everything that you can to keep the humidity levels low in your crawlspace, garage,  and attic spaces. A quality vapor barrier can really help control moisture levels under your home. 
  • Check anywhere you may have wood to ground contact. Your porch and deck areas, for example, are quite susceptible to termite infestation. Watch out for the wood to ground contact on the support beams of your beach style home as well.  Ideally, you should have a 1 inch gap between any soil and any wood. 
  • Schedule regular annual termite inspections from a professional. 


Is your home safe from termites?
​Check your homeowners insurance to see if you should invest in additional protection from a pest control professional. 
​
Protect your investment and don't fall victim to the statistics.
Call us at Champion Pest Management today to schedule an inspection and to get a quote on termite protection and prevention for your home.
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843.860.4791
46 Comments

New Year: New Control

1/2/2018

3 Comments

 
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Happy New Year!
It's time for new resolutions, new promises, new changes, and new commitments. 
In the pest control industry, these new commitments come in the form of a commitment to your home,  to your health, and to your peace of mind. 

​So, what exactly does that look like? 

​It looks like making the decision to be proactive in the protection of your home from pests. Here at Champion Pest Management, we believe it's time to make some New Year's Resolutions that are easy to stick to because we're here to do the heavy lifting. 
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Benefits to Regularly Scheduled Professional Pest Control

Your Health
Believe it or not, but the number one reason you should schedule regular professional pest control is to keep up with your overall general health. Cockroaches, rodents, mosquitoes--all of these pests (and more) carry diseases which can spread to you and your family causing illness. A regularly scheduled pest control appointment with a trained and licensed pest control company like Champion Pest Management is crucial in keeping these unwelcome visitors out of your home and your yard, and therefore keeping your immune system just how you like it: strong and healthy.  
The Value of Your Home
Your home is your castle, and protecting it should be a priority for you. Second to your health and your family's health is your home's health. Many homeowners may not realize just how vulnerable the health and well-being of their home is to outside pests. Termites alone cost American homeowners upwards of $5 billion dollars a year in damage. Bed bugs, while not disease carriers, can really bring down the aesthetic value of your home as well as completely ruin bedding, furniture, wall paper, and other interior pieces of your home. 
Photo by Binyamin Mellish from Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/home-real-estate-106399/Picture
The Risks of DIY Pest Control
There are quite a few homeowners looking to save a dollar or two and take the chance with DIY pest control solutions. While you may feel as though you're saving a few bucks, this could be costly and ineffective in the long run. Without proper training and knowledge, a homeowner runs the risk of misusing over-the-counter pesticides. A trained technician knows where and how to best apply professional grade pest control solutions and can take the guess work out of DIY pest control. A trained professional can save you time, and save you from exposure to unnecessary and misused pesticides.  
Being Proactive Rather than Reactive
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Regularly scheduled pest control allows you to stay on top of your pest battle. Pesticides and insecticides don't last forever. They are made to break down over time, and with that, the effectiveness wears off too. At Champion Pest Management, we prefer and recommend a quarterly pest control service to our residential customers. Treating your home every 3 months allows us to stay ahead of the pests--even throughout the winter when insects are less active (notice I said less active and not completely gone).  
I promise, keeping pests out of your home is way more effective than trying to kick them out once they've invited themselves inside. Many people feel as though a professional service is no longer needed once they no longer see bugs with their own eyes. This isn't entirely true. It's the regular treatment that is giving the homeowner that peace of mind. Get rid of your pest control service, and in about 3 months, you may be wishing you still had us around. ​
Champion is Always Here on Your Side
No matter what you decide, or when you decide it. Champion Pest Management will always be here to help fight that good fight. Our trained technicians will help guide you through the best course of action for your home, and we will give you that peace of mind that we're all looking for when it comes to New Year's Resolutions and changes. 
Call A Champion Today
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843.860.4791
3 Comments

It's beginning to Look A Lot LIke...Mites and Aphids?

11/28/2017

2 Comments

 



​"O Christmas tree,
O Christmas tree,

How lovely are thy branches"
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Halloween is tucked away. 
​We've all slept off the turkey comas.
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday have all come and gone. 

It's not quite December 1st, but maybe even for the Scroogiest of us all it's time to sit back and usher in the  Christmas holiday. With that, comes, for many, the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. Now, a Christmas tree entry isn't exactly what you'd expect from a pest control company blog, but believe me, the choices you make about your tree could greatly affect your need of an exterminator this Holiday season.

The Christmas tree is probably one of the most iconic Christmas image, but it's definitely one that is not safe from debate:

Douglas or Fir.
Homemade ornaments or Elegant themes. 
Let the kids lend a hand or Move all the ornaments after they've gone to bed. 
White lights or Colorful lights.
One tree or Two. 
And of course.....
Real or Fake

With over 35 million trees harvested each year and only about 10 million artificial trees sold a year, it's not too soon to rule out the popularity of the live tree. I mean come on, it's an over 1 billion dollar industry!

​ Let's talk a little though about what you should know about those amazing live trees after you strap them to the top of your car and head home singing carols along the way. 

Christmas Tree
As with bringing anything involving nature into your home, when buying a live tree, you run the risk of opening your doors to a possible 25,000 unwelcome Christmas guests. Okay, Okay. I'm not saying all this to scare you, or to send you running to your local box store to purchase a pre-lit, artificial tree. Believe me, I'm not trying to ruin any traditions. You simply cannot replace that magical smell of a fresh cut tree. 
Present that is not a bug

In all reality, all trees are covered in tiny microscopic organisms that you can neither see with your naked eye, nor will these pests find their way into home to create an infestation; however, there are a few pests that you might want to keep an eye on. These guys could decide to stay past their welcome, and that is probably not the gift you expected to find under that tree on Christmas morning. ​
Aphids
​Aphids are typically darker, pear shaped, six-legged, pests with antennae. They are often mistaken for spiders or ticks, so please be sure to do a leg count before squashing that little guy. If you do happen to smash one, you run the risk of leaving a purple-red stain on your couch or carpet. 
Luckily, aphids are pretty picky about their food source, and unless your home is filled with evergreens, the likelihood of these guys using your house plants as a food source is really low. Now, these pests are not known to carry diseases; however, if you like to keep your tree up for a while, the probability of eggs hatching is higher, and an infestation can be quite daunting. 
Aphids Christmas tree
Aphids on a Christmas Tree
Mites
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USDA Forest Service - Region 4 - Intermountain , USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
​With Spruce spider mites, you can identify these as they appear to be very small reddish-orange dots. You can look for them by shaking a limb over a white piece of paper. These pests feed on the tree and can lead to a premature drop of needles. Spider mites only feed on the tree, so if it's removed, they should die quickly. 
While aphids and mites are just a couple of pests possibly trimming your tree this year. You should be on the look out for other signs of bugs as well. Adelgids (these make your tree look as though they have a slight dusting of snow on it--festive right?), Bark Beetles, and even Praying Mantises are known to be found in evergreens.  A Christmas tree filled with pests may not quite be what's on your Christmas list, and the thought of bringing home a bounty of bugs may leave you a little Bah Humbug, but don't let these thoughts bring you down. Be sure to check your tree thoroughly before bringing it inside your home. a goof idea would be to place it in your garage for a few days on a white sheet, and shake it vigorously. Just think, there are always the stockings to hang by the chimney with care. 
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No fear though. Champion Pest Management is here if you do happen to have a few extra visitors this holiday season. Don't be afraid to give us a call. 
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843.860.4791
2 Comments

A quick Reminder about Bed Bugs

11/15/2017

18 Comments

 
Charleston, SC has once again been voted the #1 city in America to live and #2 in the world. With accolades like this, comes increase travel. With increase travel comes unwanted visitors in the luggage of new visitors to Charleston. It's important to stay mindful and check your luggage and your room when traveling. Bed bugs are not fun to be around. While this report in the link attached is about Phoenix, it could very easily be Charleston or any city for that matter.

​One common mistake if the idea that bed bugs are only associated wit
h filth, and as long as you stay clean, you're safe. This is not the case at all. In fact, bed bugs themselves are fairly clean creatures As long as you're breathing out Carbon Dioxide, you're a target for bed bugs no matter how clean you keep it. Surprisingly, bed bugs do not carry any known diseases. However, what they do is tear down quality of life while infesting your home and feasting on your person. If you suspect your home might be infested, please give Champion a call for an inspection. 
I highly recommend reading the article written by PCT on the recent bed bug reports in Phoenix. 
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843.860.4791
18 Comments

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Phone: 843- 860- 4791
Email: info@championpestmgmt.com
​Address: ​4329 Flynn Drive, North Charleston, SC 29405
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  • Home
  • Blog
  • Services
    • General Pest
    • Termite
    • Mosquitoes
    • BedBugs
    • Moisture Control
    • CL-100
    • Fire Ant Control
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Testimonials
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
    • Between Pest Control Services
    • Bed Bug Prep Check List
    • Find Out More
  • Contact Us