Risk Factors for Termite Problems
Thursday, October 27th, 2011Short of regular professional treatments, it’s difficult to prevent termites from every coming into your home. They’re extremely common, live all over North America, and can infest homes of any size, in any neighborhood. However, some risk factors make you especially susceptible to termite entrance and damage. Look for them and try to avoid them as much as possible.
To begin with, the presence of termites anywhere on your property is a red flag. These could be termites in old tree stumps, in the framing timbers of your garden, or in your mailbox. Not all termites are bad; some are actually beneficial, but if you’re unsure you should have a professional come out and look at them. The closer those termites are to your home, the more dangerous they are. Don’t create termite traps near your house, such as wood piles, especially wet ones. Formosa termites, the most fearsome of all invasive termites, love wet wood. In the same way, if water pools around your house when it rains, then termites could be attracted to that moisture. Make sure that your yard is properly graded so that water runs off.
Termites seek entrance to your house through cracks in the foundation and gaps in the wood, so the presence of such cracks and holes constitutes a serious risk factor. Carefully seal them up. Once again, companies providing professional pest control are invaluable. Their trained inspectors know exactly where to look for these entrances.
The primary sign that you already have termites is the presence of winged termites in your house. Sometimes you may only find the wings, or you may find termite droppings, which look something like sawdust. If you have bulges in your walls or your ceiling, those can be signs of advanced termite damage. If in doubt, always get it checked out.