Termites are sneaky, destructive little pests that can turn your beautiful home into an all-you-can-eat buffet. In the United States, termites affect roughly 600,000 homes each year. Unfortunately, termite damage is rarely covered by insurance, so it’s up to you to take precautions and keep those pesky wood-eaters out of your home.
Just as you take precautions to avoid water damage by waterproofing your basement or adding a drainage ditch to the front of your lawn, you can take steps to help prevent termites from ruining your home.
Starve them
If you had enough foresight, you could build your entire house out of concrete and ensure that those irritating critters have no interest in your home whatsoever. However, if you’re like the millions of homeowners who used wood to build their house, then you need to cut off their food supply some other way. You can do so by storing firewood well away from your house, about 20 feet or so. You should also add a mulch or soil barrier around your home and keep all foliage (bushes, trees, etc) a few feet away from your house as well. It’s also important to direct your downspouts away from your house and position sprinklers away from the house.
Look for entry points
Look around your home for any potential termite entry points and fill them. If you don’t know what to look for, termites often leave behind spongy wood and mud tubes on building materials. Check out your roof flashing, siding, and the concrete in your basement and ensure they are sealed up tight. If you do find any cracks, seal them. You might also want to monitor your porch or deck, fence posts, and even window sills. Remember: termites love warm, wet wood, so wherever those conditions might exist, you should keep an eye out for termites and mud tubes.
If you’re unfortunate enough to have found evidence that suggests termites have infiltrated your home, your best bet is to call an exterminator immediately. Afterward, you can contact a professional termite damage repair service to have your home restored.
