Prevent Termite Infestations With These Five Steps

Termites are abundant and active during the summer months. Colonies swarm across Florida, and without prevention, many homeowners can face unanticipated infestations. Infestations can be devastating, costing thousands of dollars in property damage. Taking the right precautions can help homeowners prevent infestations from occurring.

Regularly Check for Dead Termites

Take a walk around your property, and look for dead termites, termite wings or droppings. Finding these items around your home can be a sign of a termite infestation. Homeowners commonly mistake winged ants for termites. If you spot bodies or droppings, check the antennae. Flying ants have bent wings. If the antennae are straight, then it’s a termite. Take note, termites regularly shed their wings, while ants don’t. They are similar in appearance but have different habits.

Remove Cellulose Debris from Your Property to Prevent Attracting Termites

Any organic material made of wood can potentially attract termites to your home. The longer the wood is allowed to gain moisture, the more attractive it is to termites. Try making compost out of your landscape trimmings to deter them. Breaking these items down will help prevent termites from infesting structural wood. Also, contact your local municipality about recycling any wood on the outskirts of your property.

Remove Termite Access and Fill in Cracks in Your Homes Foundation

If you can locate an area where termites can access your home, try filling in the cracks. Fill up any holes and treat the area surrounding it with termiticide. Treating the area with a termite poison may kill them before they can begin creating tunnels. Check your foundation and any areas where there is exposed wood for access points.

Eliminate Wood to Ground Contact

Termites can easily enter your home if there is wood touching the ground. Examples of this include wood lattice, siding or doors, and window frames. In some cases, these items touch the ground and give termites a gateway into your home. Anything made of wood should be about six inches above the ground to prevent termites from easily reaching it. A concrete base on wooden items can reduce contact. Also, cutting off the base of any wood lattice work touching the ground can help keep termites out.

Get Regular Termite Inspections: Premier Pest Control

Premier Pest Control trains every member of our team of professional termite inspectors to identify signs of termite infestation before it’s too late. Implementing prevention methods early on can prevent outbreaks from occurring. Contact Premier Pest Control for a specialized termite prevention program for your property and for a free consultation.