Termites Prevention Tips

Termites are exceptionally destructive creatures. Without proper and effective termites prevention measures, these little vermin can quite literally eat your home out from under you. As tiny as they seem, a colony of termites can chew through wood, wallpaper and flooring undetected. This could go on for years without the homeowner’s knowledge. By the time you realize how wide spread the infestation is, you could be looking at an insurmountable loss that could very well mean the abandonment and condemning of your beloved home.

The bad news is that termites could be attacking your home right now without your knowledge. The good news is that there are several termites prevention methods that can help you, not only keep these little creatures from your home but also help you get rid of them for good once they set in. The following tips should help you keep the structural integrity of your home intact and safe from termite infestation.

Eliminate conditions that invite termites

There are a lot of things we do and have within the home that make this environment conducive for termites. Many of these things can be easily eliminated with just a little care. Some, however, are things that we are not even aware invite termites. To ensure that you make your home as non-termite friendly as possible, you should:

– Do all you can to reduce and even eliminate moisture inside and around the home. Termites thrive in humid and dump conditions.

– Make sure that any leaking water pipes, faucets and exterior AC units are repaired regularly and that the leaks are kept in check.

– Make sure that the structural integrity of your roof is sturdy. Repair soffits, fascia and ensure that any rotten shingles are replaced. These make perfect termite habitats and food.

– Make sure that any loose fitting around your basement foundation are repaired and that any weather stripping is replaced.

– Make sure that rain water is diverted away from the house by use of properly functional gutters, downspouts and splash blocks.

– Make sure that you carry out a routine inspection of your foundation. The kind of things to look for include: mud tubes (these are used by termites to reach their food source), any bubbling or cracked paint as well as hallow sounding wood (tap wood to see if it is hallow).

– Keep an eye out for the any changes in your doorframes, skirting boards, windows and any wood fittings.

– You should ensure that a gap of at least 18 inches is maintained between the soil on the ground and any wood parts of your house.

Get professional help

If you have done all you can to prevent termite infestations but still see tell-tale signs within your home (hallow wood, mud tubes and a distinct rattling sound) then the next best thing to do is to find a way to get rid of the colony already living within. This will require professional assistance. Even though there are many ways that you can get rid of termites on your own, the best way to ensure that you have done a thorough job of it is to let the professionals handle the matter.

A professional termite eradication unit will carry out a proper inspection of your home and determine what the source of the termites is or are within the house. They will give you a fully comprehensive instructions manual on how to prevent future infestations. Most, importantly, however, they will get rid of the already destructive termites chewing through your house.

Professionals have special termite eradication techniques and chemicals that will completely wipe out a colony and any residual termites that might start up again. These process, however, might be a little inconveniencing as you may not be allowed access to your home for the duration of the eradication period. This, however, is a small price to pay considering just how much of a loss a termite infestation can cause you as a homeowner.


DIY termite prevention and eradication

Even though the best cause of action once you realize that you have a termite infestation is to contact a professional termite eradication unit, there are still some things that you can do as a homeowner to prevent future infestations as well as to clear out the current one. Here are some tips that will help you eradicate termites from your home once they have set in.

Set a bit for subterranean termites

One of the most effective ways to prevent and kill off subterranean termites is to set a bait for them. Usually, this includes the use of untreated wood dug deep into the ground where suspected termite activity has been detected. Once you have placed this untreated wood into the ground, at a distance of about 10 feet from each other around your home, you should check these baits every week. Once you have identify the presence of termites by the damage inflicted on a given bait site, it is time to replace the untreated bait with poisoned wood. Instead of the untreated piece of wood, you replace the bait with another piece of wood that termites are fond of only this time you poison the wood. Termites, being creatures of habit, will return to the site and chew away at the poisoned wood and taking some to the colony. This way, you will slowly, but surely kill off the entire colony and any other around your home.

Make use of natural home remedies

For homeowners who would rather not use chemicals around their homes, there are other, more natural ways to get rid of these pesky insects. You can use either Aloe or clove bud oil. The best way to use these remedies is to put them into a spray can and spray the infested location. Aloe is simpler to use as all you have to do is crush the plant and place some of it inside your sprayer. Cover the crushed plant with some water and let it fester for about 3 hours. Water down the liquid and spray as you see fit.
Termite prevention and eradication is imperative if you are to maintain the structural integrity of your home. Do not let these pesky insect cause you unimaginable losses by chewing through your house.

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