Tips for Preventing Termite Infestation

Termites are damaging and cause costly damage to homes and buildings. Consider learning about the signs, prevention methods and termite fumigation Key West.

Signs

Signs of termite activity include swarms of termites around windows and doors, woodpiles, stumps and foundations. You may also look for mud tubes around the foundation, walls, sill plates and floor joists of your home. Look for hollowed-out wood along the grain and dried mud lining the trenches in the wood. Tiny holes in drywall or plaster, buckled paint and piles of wood shavings are also signs.

Prevention

Seal any cracks you find in your foundation. Move wood and wood products at least 20 feet from your home and place plastic sheeting between the wood and soil. Use non-wood fencing materials. Clear away dead trees and unused wood from around your home and property.

Repair roofs, leaky pipes, downspouts and gutters to prevent excess water near the foundation. Do not overwater your lawn, and keep mulch at least 15 inches away from your foundation.

Treatments

Physical barriers, such as steel mesh and different sizes of sand, are typically used during construction and are used to keep termites from your home. These barriers can be kept in place after construction as well.

Chemical methods include termiticides, bait and wood treatments that are approved by the EPA. Chemicals are applied to the ground, building materials or wood. These methods require application by a trained professional. Termiticides may be injected in the ground, under concrete slabs and throughout the walls of a home. They result in a long-term barrier against termites.

Termite bait reduces the use of insecticides because the bait is positioned in specific locations, such as underground and near mud tubes, and the termites take the bait back to the colony. Baits may supplement other treatments or may be a sole treatment if the infestation is small.

Inspect and implement termite prevention methods on your property, but don’t wait to contact a licensed pest control professional if you find evidence of termite infestation.