Can You Protect Yourself From Termites?

02/23/2015


Termites   

There are some things you can do to protect your Montgomery County home from spring termites, and some things better left to the professionals. Here is a quick guide to help you with both.

Each year, termite swarmers pour out of mature colonies with two goals in mind: to mate, and to establish a new colony. These swarmers are looking for moist wood and soil. Your job should be to make sure they don't find these around your home.

  • Make sure that water is channeled away from your foundation walls. Inspect gutters for damage, and fill in low areas where rainwater collects.

  • Make sure that bushes, mulch, and shrubs are at least two feet from your foundation.

  • Firewood, construction materials, and other wood products, should be even further away and raised off the ground.

  • Always patch areas of rotted wood. Though termites do not need a rotted hole to get into your home, these areas are enticing.

  • Moisture inside your basement areas is also enticing. Keep your basement well ventilated and dry, by using a fan and a dehumidifier.

  • Some homeowners have a pest control company create a chemical barrier that termites can't get through, because termites can chose your home simply because there is nothing else nearby. Swarm do not travel far.

Keeping moisture and standing water away from your foundation is a good start to protecting your home, but there are some things you need to know about termite swarms. A termite colony does not produce these swarmers till it is mature. This can take three to four years. And, with swarmers only traveling a short distance, there is a good chance that this mature colony is on your property, or worse, inside the walls of your home.

If you see swarmers--or swarmer wings on your property, have a professional pest control company come and do an inspection. Termites are a silent invader. Often times homeowners don't even realize they have termites till they see the swarms. This is very bad.

If you have not yet seen swarms, follow the tips above, and seriously consider having a termite inspection, to catch this insect before those swarms happen. If you live in an area with active subterranean termites, it is never a good idea to go without a year round termite plan. Get your home protected, before these wood eating insects can do permanent damage to the structure of your home.






 
 
 

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