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5 Things You Should Be Doing To Prevent Termites in Your Home

5 Things You Should Be Doing To Prevent Termites in Your Home

Termite Awareness

1. Stack Firewood, Lumber and Other Cellulose Products Away From Your Home for Termite Protection

Keeping your woodpile stacked up against your house for easy access in the winter is convenient, but not only can it provide a great source of food for termites, it can also give them a safe passage into your home avoiding any termite treatment that may be present. To minimize the risk of termite infestation, don’t store any wood-based products in your crawlspace, stack your woodpiles several feet away from your home and keep the wood elevated off the ground if possible.

downspout

Divert downspouts away from your home to prevent pooling around your foundation.

2. Fix Improper Drainage and Minimize Moisture Around the Foundation

Termites must have moisture to survive and improper drainage around your home could be creating ideal conditions for them to thrive. Make sure your downspouts are diverting water away from your home and that your faucets and A/C drip lines are not causing water to pool around your foundation. Another often overlooked cause of termite infestations are clogged gutters and leaf debris collecting on your roof. Clogged gutters can cause water to backup and leaf debris collects moisture and begins to decay. These conditions are ideal conditions for an aerial termite infestation, especially in areas with formosan termites.

Overgrown bushes and mulch

Trim back overgrown bushes and rake mulch at least 4″ away from the foundation.

3. Clear Mulch Away From the Foundation

Wood mulch is a great way to make your home look nice but when used excessively it can create ideal moisture and temperature conditions for termite activity. Keep mulch raked back at least four inches from the foundation and never let the mulch come in contact with siding or framing of doors or windows.

clogged gutters with poor drainage

Clean out your gutters to improve drainage.

4. Trim Back Overhanging Tree Limbs and Overgrown Bushes

Tree limbs hanging over your roof and overgrown bushes can create shelter areas, cause moisture build up, and provide easy paths into your home for many pests, including termites. Trees hanging over the house will also drop leaves on your roof and in your gutters that can create moisture problems that could be conducive to an aerial termite infestation.

termite treatment

A Palmetto technician digs a trench as part of a termite treatment.

5. Have Your Home Treated and Inspected Regularly By a Trained Termite Control Professional

The above steps will help make your home less appealing to termites but the best way to prevent termites is to have a trained professional inspect your home every year and treat your home with a termiticide like Termidor HE. In many areas in the Southeast, it is not a question of IF you get termites, but a question of WHEN! Contact us today for a free inspection and quote to place your home under a lifetime warranty.

For more information about termite protection in your home, you can follow the links below.