Research shows that 1 in 4 homeowners are regularly concerned about termite damage to their homes. And if you’re one of them, we’re here to put your mind at ease.
Termites can pose a real threat to your house. But with these tips for preventing termites, you can start to rest easy again.
1. Keep Wood Away From the Perimeter of Your Home
If you’ve got a woodpile for a wood-burning stove or fire pit, it may seem convenient to keep it next to your home. But this woodpile can become a haven for termites and other pests. By placing it away from the perimeter of your home you reduce the risk of those pests traveling from the pile to your home.
If you have garden beds that touch the exterior of the house, consider using a non-wood covering like rocks or rubber mulch instead of wood mulch. Wet, wood mulch is a perfect home for termites and they can easily spread from a flower bed to the home.
2. Keep Bushes and Trees Well Trimmed
If you have trees or bushes that are next to the home, keep them well-trimmed so that their branches don’t touch the exterior of the house.
Similar to the woodpiles and mulch, termites don’t just appear in your home. They travel and spread from a nearby source of water and wood. Even living wood can host termites and increase their spread.
3. Preventing Termites With Trusted Pest Control Specialists
Using pest control from a trusted specialist can be an additional barrier that keeps termites and other bugs from getting into your home. Once you’ve established that there aren’t any wood and water sources next to the house, consider contacting Fast Action Pest Control to treat the exterior.
Recurring treatments can protect your home from invasive pests as well as help treat existing infestations.
4. Keep It Dry
Water is necessary for termites to live and thrive so make sure that standing water isn’t present near the home. Check regularly to make sure that sprinklers don’t create pools of standing water next to the home.
Regularly clean gutters so that dams aren’t formed by fallen leaves or other debris. Termites can feed off the wet debris and then travel to the roof of your home and build colonies.
5. Regularly Check for Cracks in Your Home’s Exterior
Termites typically won’t colonize areas with concrete like the foundation of your home. But if you have foundational cracks, termites can use those cracks to access the softer, wood material of your home.
An easy way to prevent infestations is to regularly check for and seal cracks or crevices that form on the foundation or exterior of your home. This cuts off one of the termites’ easiest access points.
No Fear!
As long as you take these steps for preventing termites, you don’t have to live in fear that they’ll infest and damage your home. See our blog for more tips on all things home, garden, and family.
Which of these will you try first?
