Termite Prevention

Photo by Heather RDoing termite prevention is a far cheaper and easier method of keeping termites away from your home than later on performing termite control. And there are a couple of things that you can do that will help to keep termites away from your property for good.

The most important one is to make sure you’re not accidentally feeding the termites and that you haven’t accidentally made your home environment attractive to termites. So don’t leave any old piles of chopped wood (especially firewood) lying around outside the home and the same is true for any leftover materials that have been thrown out after the renovations. Other items to watch out for include non-treated wooden fences and cardboards left lying around – especially damp cardboards.

The gutters on your roof should also be inspected. Don’t let your gutters clog up, clean them regularly so that there is not a build up of decomposing material. This can lead to moisture problems in the surrounding areas next to the
gutters which is attractive to termites.

If you decide to construct something in your garden such as a shed then it’s highly recommended that you place the
construction on concrete slabs to help prevent termites. Also, if you’re using any wood for the construction then it’s necessary to make sure the timber has been treated so that it is termite proofed.

How to Prevent Termites

Sprinkler systems for watering the lawns should be double checked to make sure they are securely fastened and no
water is leaking from any of the tubes. Make sure the sprinklers aren’t hitting the home with their water and that they are turned off tightly and securely after their usage. Also, check around the pipes of your home for any water
leaks because these leaks will quickly become attractive locations to termites.

Remember to do a bit of diy termite prevention every few months for the common signs of problems in your house. If you do identify any cracks or holes on your property that were NOT caused by termites then quickly seal up these problems and fill in any of the holes that may have formed.

Avoid using any mulch in your garden. Mulch is the made up of wood chips and termites will really love feasting on it especially after it has just rained. Any wood on your home that directly touches the ground is a potential problem. Either replace this wood with some other material or double check to make sure this wood has been treated so that termites will not feed on it.

Another danger area is your air conditioner tank, you need to make sure it is at least 5-6 inches away from your house. This will help to stop any leaks that might drain into your home. The vents coming off the air conditioner should also be facing away from the building as the moisture build on overtime into the walls of a building. This also applies to washing machines and dryers.

Finally when constructing a building, do not use a flat roof design as the build up of water and moisture when it rains can be very problematic and attractive to termites. Following all of these tips will take you a long way towards termite prevention.