Termites are a nuisance to any home or structure. Whether it’s a garage, shed, or the main living quarters, they will attack without prejudice. That is why termite prevention is so vital to a home’s safety. By understanding precisely what conditions termites prefer, and being able to spot potential termite damage, a homeowner can take the steps needed for effective termite prevention which leads to termite control.

Termite prevention starts when a homeowner understands the risk. Any wood that touches the ground provides access for termites. It could be something simple, like a deck or lattice work in a garden by the house. Or it could be the siding itself. Whenever ground to soil contact occurs, the threat of termites gaining access to the house occurs. It’s important to keep soil and wood completely separate.

Wood that is constantly moist attracts termites the most. They love damp structures. Look everywhere rainfall runoff may occur such as gutters and downspouts. Don’t allow water to pool near the foundation or wooden structures. Termite prevention requires all water to be diverted well away from the home.

Crawlspaces are a magnet for moisture, especially if vents, such as laundry vents are pumped through them. Examine any crawlspaces in the home for excess moisture and while performing this inspection, check for any potential termite damage as well. Reroute any vents so that they don’t empty directly into the crawlspace. Also check for the same conditions of rainwater runoff which may accumulate under the crawlspace and divert the source of the water away from the house.

Mulch may look attractive around a home, but it can cause a problem. If mulch rests up against wood it provides a highway for termites into the structure. Rake the mulch away from the structure everywhere this occurs. Anytime mulch is added to the beds, remember to keep a sizable gap between the mulch and the wood to ensure termite prevention.

Homes with a fireplace may pose a problem as well. Many homeowners don’t realize that firewood piled next to the house is a disaster waiting to happen. Keep firewood well away from the home or any other wood structure, such as a shed, even during winter months. It’s better to have to walk out into the cold winter night to gather some wood than deal with the expense of repairing termite damage.

Another overlooked aspect of termite prevention is to have an annual inspection. A termite professional knows the difference between termite damage and rotting wood. They can spot potential problems as well as risky areas. The cost of an inspection is inexpensive compared to the cost of potential damage.

Termite prevention begins by understanding the needs of the termites. You will go a long way towards avoiding termite damage by keeping moisture away from the home, keeping wood away from mulch and soil and scheduling annual inspections. Termite prevention is the easiest way to practice termite control.

Termites eating you out of house and home? Call the Tampa termite experts at Florida Bug Inspectors for fast effective termite control solutions. They also offer termite prevention plans priced to fit your budget. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Tags: gardening, home-and-garden, homeowners, insects, termites

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This entry was posted on Sunday, November 29th, 2009 at 5:44 am and is filed under gardening, pest control. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.