Each year, termites cost US homeowners over $5-billion dollars each year, as the most invasive, destructive, and financially damaging pests on the continent.
So, it’s no wonder that you want to find out how you can prevent these invasive pests from getting into your home – and breaking your bank.
Luckily, there are a number of methods you can use to make your home as anti-termite as possible, to significantly reduce your chances of suffering a termite home-invasion.
But first we need to answer the question:
What causes termites?
Everybody knows that termites love wood – it’s what attracts them to our homes, it’s what they make their own homes in, and even what they consume for nutrition. So, wood is the simple, obvious answer.
However, different species of termite have different preferences, and different factors draw them in.
Subterranean termites, on the one hand, more easily gain access to homes where there’s moist soil nearby, and can infest any wood in direct contact with the ground.
Moreover, both subterranean and dampwood termites crave a moist, humid environment – if there’s water damage, that’s even better.
Lastly, termites need a method of access.
While subterranean termites burrow through wood or soil to get inside our homes, other termite species use cracks in the walls or foundations of a house to break and enter.
So, what things can you do to make your home as repellent to termites as possible?
Make your home more difficult to access.
There are a number of ways you can do this.
For starters, make sure to fill in any cracks in your walls or foundation, in addition to any gaps you may have around your windows and doors, and even around water and gas lines, as these are all points of access for the invasive termite.
Moreover, you should try to put some distance between any wood in the yard, and your home. This includes mulch, stacks of firewood and even tree branches that come into close contact with your home.
So, you should consider moving any wood as far from the base of your home as possible (but a few feet away should be fine), as subterranean termites burrow through the wood to get closer to your home’s foundation.
Additionally, you should cut any overhanging branches which come into close contact with your home, as some species of termite use these branches as land bridges, paving the way between them and the house.
Reduce moisture in and around your home.
Both subterranean and dampwood termites love moisture, so if the base – or the roof – of your home collects a lot of water, its nurturing the perfect environment for termites.
To remedy this, ensure that you repair any leaking water pipes, gutters, faucets or AC units that might be helping to foster a termite-friendly environment around your home.
Moreover, ensure that your gutters are regularly unclogged, and that leaf debris is removed from around the base of your home and on your roof, as these leaf piles can retain a lot of moisture.
And, if all of this still doesn’t lead to a damp-free zone, then you might want to invest in some downspouts, to divert water away from the house.
If you still struggle to reduce the moisture around your home – even though you feel like you’ve adhered to this advice – then the best port of call is to get in touch with your local specialist pest control professionals in Overland Park, so that they can recommend more moisture-reducing termite prevention tips, which are specific to your unique situation.
Treat the wood around your home with termiticide.
For certain termite species, wood-to-ground contact is crucial for gaining access to your home. This is particularly worrisome if you have decking, a wooden terrace, or other permanent wood fixtures in close proximity to your home.
Luckily, you – or the pest control professionals in Overland Park – can treat the wood around your home with termiticide, which establishes a chemical barrier between the wood and termites, so they can’t chew their way through it.
Have regular termite checks carried out by the pest control professionals.
To the untrained eye, a termite infestation is difficult to spot, until it’s too late.
By the time you start to see evidence of termite damage – such as blisters in your wood flooring, or damage to any wooden surfaces, walls or furniture – that means you likely already have a full-blown infestation, and colonies of termites numbering in the thousands.
Consequently, this means that termites may have already caused hundreds – or thousands – worth of damage to your home.
On the other hand, if you get regular termite checks carried out by your local pest control professionals in Overland Park, you can catch the problem before it gets out of hand – and before it gets you out of pocket.
So, if you want to prevent termites from coming into your home – and wreaking structural and financial havoc – call Mantis Pest Solutions, the leading termite control professionals in Overland Park.