It is very
easy for the termites to gain access to your home, these insects are very
proficient and therefore it is important to take steps of termite prevention in
order to reduce the risk of them feeding on your home.
Such things
as small holes in the wood, crumbling drywall, sagging doors or floor, wings of
the termites, and small shelter tubes are the most obvious and common signs of
the termite infestation. However, even if these signs are not evident and you
have no reason to believe that your home is infested, it doesn’t mean it’s not.
The first
step of termite prevention is to have a licensed pest manager, or a termite exterminator perform regular
inspections. This is the best way to
make sure that your home is pest free and is also reliable way of termite protection.
Professionals that are qualified in termite
extermination are trained to identify, prevent and treat termite
infestations. They are knowledgeable of the termite biology and behavior. A
pest management professional performs a thorough and proficient inspection of
your home in order to determine whether there is any evidence to suggest the
presence of the termites.
A termite exterminator may also consult you about
making your home less suitable for termites but fixing any termite-attracting
conditions.
There are a
number of tips for termite prevention:
1.
Affixing
wooden trellises to exterior walls may attract termite, so this should be
avoided;
2.
You
should keep any mulch, wood debris, scraps of lumber, sawdust and firewood as
far away from your home as possible. If, however, you do keep wood, for
example, for fire next to your house, you should keep it raised off the ground;
3.
Don’t
store, stack, or bury any wood debris or scrap adjacent to your house;
4.
Make
sure that bushes and tree branches are trimmed away from your home. Don’t let
shrubs and other dense greenery, as well as mulch, be close to your house or
its foundation;
5.
Don’t
forget to remove trees and stumps if they have been infested;
6.
Make
sure to fix any leaking faucets and water lines indoors and outdoors;
7.
Don’t
leave roofs and gutters leaking;
8.
Don’t
let leaves get into gutters and drains;
9.
Make
sure that water runs away from the foundation;
10.
Make
sure to ventilate crawl spaces and attics in order to reduce humidity;
11.
Remove
any wood that may contact the soil;
12.
Make
sure to cover not any less than 90% of the ground in crawl spaces with plastic
sheets;
13.
Wood
siding, stucco, and foam board needs to be at least six inches off the ground;
14.
Make
sure there are no cracks and holes in the foundation of your house.
If the
termite have been spotted, the termite
extermination is necessary. Your pest management professional can help
you to get rid of the termites and also provide termite
protection to make sure they don’t come back.
Even if
after the examination of your home it turns out to be free of insects, the termite
prevention measures still should be taken if you want to ensure for your house
to stay that way.
The number
one termite defense product in the USA is Termidor. Most likely you will
be advised to use this treatment to help fight termites.