Resolving Pest Control Issues

How To Prevent Termites From Getting Into Your Home

15 December 2021 by Lance Burke

If you are a homeowner there are many pests that can get into your home, such as termites. Termites can cause a lot of damage to a home as they eat wood. If not taken care of they can cause structural damage and eat through the flooring, walls, and much more. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to prevent these pests from getting into your home. 

Check for Entry Points

The main thing is to do a close inspection to see if there are any entry points termites can use to gain access to your home. This may be cracks in your foundation, gaps around water lines, gaps around windows and doors, and more. Also, if you have any wood that sits on the soil near your home, this is like inviting termites to come in. If you have a lot of wood outside, spray it with anti-termite spray to kill termites that may be on it. 

Remove Food

The main thing termites need to eat is wood. Remove all wood outside that you can, especially wood that sits near your home or any lumber. Termites also eat cellulose in order to survive. Remove all papers that are near your home and papers that are inside, such as stacked-up magazines, newspapers, etc. Check your attic as you may have cellulose stacked up there that you are not aware of. If you use mulch outside, do not use wood mulch, but replace it with something like pebbles or ground cement. 

Any wood or cellulose left behind will attract termites to eat. Once they eat these things, they will continue to move into your home to gain access to more food. Over time, you can have an infestation that will be very hard to deal with.

Remove Water Source

Termites, like all living creatures, need water to survive. Check for leaks in your home, such as dripping faucets, leaks around plumbing pipes, and more. Check outside to ensure your gutters are not logged so water does not build up. Also, make sure your gutters are diverting the water far from your home. If your roof has a leak, this is another way for termites to get water. Hire a roofing contractor to inspect your roof if you are not sure. 

If you use sprinklers outside, divert the water away from your home. Take care of high humidity areas in your home, such as in crawlspaces and attics, by providing more ventilation and using fans to remove humidity. High humidity causes moisture to build up on things and cannot only give termites water but can also cause mold to grow. 

A pest control company should be contacted to do a termite inspection of your home for residential pest prevention. They can also give you many tips on keeping termites out of your home. 

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