Warmer weather means it’s time to enjoy spring and summer gatherings with friends and family! But there are some guests that you probably don’t want to invite over: termites. Termites will begin to swarm soon, and as they do, they may decide that your house is the perfect place to crash. So, what you can do to make sure you’re not attracting them?
HOW TO AVOID A TERMITE INFESTATION
Termites love to feast on wooden doors or window frames, foam, drywall, cardboard, paper, or anything else made from wood pulp. It can be difficult to completely avoid the threat of termites, especially in the South, but there are several things you can do to deprive termites of some of their main sources of food:
1. Clear mulch away from your foundation: Mulch provides both the food and the moisture that termites seek. Keep wood mulch materials at least 15 inches away from your home’s foundation or consider using a non-wood material, stone or pine needles.
2. Keep gutters clear: Gutters can easily get clogged with debris, which causes water to pool. In addition to providing food and moisture, this can make your home’s insulation vulnerable to a termite invasion.
3. Move firewood and other wood pulp away from structures: Lumber, cardboard, paper, firewood and other sources of wood pulp should be kept away from your home’s foundation. Move firewood stacks at least 20 feet away and five inches above the ground. Remove traces of stumps or dead trees in your yard, avoid planting shrubs up against your house, and try to maintain a completely wood pulp-free barrier around all structures on your property.
4. Eliminate water sources: Check around your home for moisture collection (like under leaky spigots), and make sure rainwater flows away from your foundation. Also, termites don’t like dry soil, so direct sprinklers away from your foundation.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO CONTROL TERMITES
Once you notice a termite problem, there is probably already an extensive population of termites since they do most of their damage behind the scenes. Did you know that termites do more than $5 billion in damage in the U.S. each year? To make things even better, termite damage is not usually covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy, and repair costs can be thousands of dollars!
WAYNES EXPERT TERMITE EXTERMINATION SERVICES
As the ground warms up, swarming termites will be on the lookout for new places to nest, so now is the time to Call Waynes Pest Control. We offer free, no-obligation quotes on our comprehensive termite treatments.
Schedule your free estimate today!
