How can I prevent termites in my home?
Each year, termites cause billions of dollars’ worth of damage to homes and businesses.
Left unresolved, a termite problem in your home can be more than just annoying. It can cause costly repairs or even irreversible structural damage, leading to an unsafe environment for you and your family and even the need to relocate.
With so much on the line, it’s easy to see how important it is to know how to prevent termite infestations from happening. Since termite colonies can number in the hundreds of thousands and queens can live for 30 to 50 years laying thousands of eggs per day, prevention is much better than treating an existing infestation.
Luckily for you, there are a lot of preventative measures that you can take.
Landscaping
One of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of termites is to be mindful of the landscaping around your house.
Be sure to get rid of any dead trees, brush piles, excess vegetation, or other food sources that might attract termites to your property. While they might be happy feasting on these items for the time being, their numbers will only grow, leading to them seeking food elsewhere — like your home.
Another great way to ensure your landscaping is not causing problems is to make sure all plants and trees are far enough away from your home’s foundation. Plants like shrubs, small trees, or bushes can serve as shelter for termites and having them close to your foundation only serves to invite them in further. Another thing you can do is ensure there is a gap between any landscaping mulch you use and the exterior walls of your home.
In addition to adding shelter for termites, having trees close to your home also means you risk the possibility of their roots causing cracks and fissures in your foundation that termites can find their way into.
Seal Cracks and Holes
In addition to ensuring you’re not attracting termites through food sources on your property, it’s also important to seal off any ways that termites can enter your home.
One of the most important places to look is in your foundation. Any cracks or fissures should be sealed to prevent entry, especially since termites are subterranean and live underground.
Another place to look is around doors and windows, where cracks and holes are more prone to occur.
Remove Water Sources
Like most living beings, termites need water to survive. By cutting off any potential water supplies for termites, you limit their ability to thrive.
To do this, search around the base of your home for any leaks, poor gutter and water spout drainage, or standing water. If you find any sources of water, get rid of them if possible.
Call the Professionals
If you’re not sure you know how to do these preventative measures on your own or you’re afraid you’ll miss something important, call in the professionals like exterminator Connecticut to do an inspection.
In many cases, pest control companies will even do an inspection for free and then offer estimates for preventative measures and solutions if they find any existing termite problems.