Termites are one of the biggest threats to your home. They do far more harm than most other pests and can carry out structural damage in varying degrees, depending on the level of infestation. This is why pest management includes prevention, detection, and removal.
Small scale termite destruction includes holes in your doors, jammed windows, and damage to wooden pieces, cardboard, or even bits of paper lying around the floor. In sheds, they can be noticed from damage to the wooden parts of your tools, such as handles.
Heavy damage is – ironically – harder to detect since it occurs in parts of the house that we rarely inspect, such as the basement or structural support beams.
Let’s look at some steps you can take to get ahead of and termites control in your home.
Carry Out Inspections
Regular inspection is one of the best ways to keep termites at bay. Look out for shed wings, droppings, and even those conspicuous mud tubes that subterranean termites leave. That said, you can only assess the spaces you use every day, like kitchens, bathrooms, or bedrooms.
Professional pest inspections are more thorough. Exterminators will check under your home, looking at the foundation, the attic, and other hard-to-reach spaces where termites may hide. They then take the measures to treat your home against infestation and note areas that require repair. Pest treatment should be done at the end of every season.
Store Wood and Wood Products Safely
Firewood and lumber should be stacked at least a few feet away from the home. When placed against the wall or the foundation, wood provides an easy food source for termites. These termites can then make an easy transition from the stack of wood to your house. The wood stack also hides evidence of infestation until it’s too late. Have your stacks treated with pesticides.
Proper Drainage and Ventilation
Termites thrive in moist, dark spaces. Water is essential for their survival, and the moisture makes it easier to break off and consume pieces of wood. Therefore any leaking taps and pipes should be repaired as soon as possible. Make sure your downpipes direct water away from the house, and your air conditioning drip lines don’t allow water to form puddles.
Proper Yard Maintenance
Effective pest control begins with a well-maintained yard. You can do this in three steps: cut off their food supply, block their transition routes, and prevent them from accessing moisture. Removing any dead wood and cellulose around the yard reduces their source of food and discourages the formation of colonies.
You can also disrupt termites’ transition from the outdoors into your home by removing overgrown tree branches that brush up against your home. Finally, you can cut off their access to moisture by making sure your water sprinklers point away from your building’s foundation, and that mulch has been cleared from near the home.
