An infestation can be the end of a dream home. On the outside, everything appears perfect while the home’s interior structure tells a very different truth. This truth can be very disheartening to someone who has poured their life savings into their home.
However, before a home reaches the point of infestation, homeowners can address the root problems. At every point of the process, including infestation, there are remedies that homeowners can take. Getting a yearly termite inspection and routine sprayings can reduce the incidence of infestations, but homeowners can do some simple things around the house to both reduce the occurrence of pests and effectively handle an infestation problem.
Continue reading to learn how to effectively deal with a termite infestation in your home.
Be Proactive
During spring and summer especially, termites are most active so if you are proactive you might catch an infestation early and you can get rid of termites and stop the damage before it happens. You should take the time to check any wooden beams and exposed wood around your house. You can do this by pressing your thumb or fingers against exposed wood. If the wood crumbles, you more than likely have termites.
Take Care Of Simple Tasks
One of the best ways to thwart a termite invasion and infestation is by taking care of simple tasks that will attract termites in the first place. Checking and repairing your roof regularly is a good way to prevent a termite infestation as broken roof tiles can let moisture in and create the perfect environment for termites to start munching away and setting up their nests. If you have an air conditioner unit in a window, keep a close eye on it. Moisture that drips from the air conditioner can cause the wood around windows to get damp creating an ideal environment for termites to thrive.
As termites love to chew on things like cardboard boxes, getting rid of them is a good idea. Store things in plastic boxes instead of cardboard, so if a termite gets into your attic, they won’t have any cardboard to chew on. Getting rid of any wood around your home is a good idea too. If you keep stacks of wood for a fire, be careful not to stack it against the side of the house as it will attract termites to your home.
In the garden, be careful about the type of mulch you use as a mulch from wood will attract termites. Again, make sure that mulch is not laid on the ground right up to your house. Get rid of any moisture in your home, seal up windows and doors so swarming termites can’t get in and inspect wood floors and furniture regularly. Get rid of any piles of clothing you have lying around too or store them properly, as termites are looking for cellulose and certain fabrics can be just as attractive as wood to termites.
Identify The Problem And Type Of Termite
Termites leave many clues when they invade a home, sagging floors, holes in woodwork, cracks in timber and termite droppings all point to a termite infestation. Mud tubes that make their way up the exterior of the home are indications of termites. You may also find a termite nest on your property. A subterranean termite infestation will build a system of tunnels and tubes of mud, while a drywood termite infestation will present itself in a nest inside the wood. Before haphazardly addressing the issue, homeowners should try to figure what type of termite they are dealing with to either to address the infestation problem or to speak with a professional.
Look For A Remedy
There are a number of remedies that can address a termite infestation. Fairly common natural remedies and methods of eradicating termites include setting up cardboard traps, freezing the termites or exposing them to sunlight or using beneficial nematodes that are natural parasites to termites.
If natural remedies fail, boric acid is one of the most common and effective pesticide ways of dealing with termites as it shuts down the termite’s nervous system while dehydrating it. Homeowners have to be diligent in laying down the acid or spraying the home, both the interior and exterior. An anti-termite solution that can be purchased from your closest hardware store can target and eliminate termites. If the infestation is small it may be able to be resolved by the homeowners themselves.
Call A Professional
A DIY job might be appropriate in some cases, but when dealing with pests that can eat at the structure of your home consider calling in the professionals. Termites can destroy a home’s structure if the infestation is unchecked. While the costs to tent the home might be expensive, costs to repair the home’s inner walls and foundation can be more expensive if the infestation is not addressed. Professional exterminators will be able to identify the type of termite you’re dealing with and will use the correct method to quickly get rid of the infestation.
Beating The Bugs
Whether dealing with termites or any other pest, an infestation makes living in your home very uncomfortable. An attack plan that minimises the space’s attractiveness to termites in the first place is one of the most common methods for dealing with infestations before they occur.
