Tricky Termites
As the “dog days” are now in full swing, now is the time to get cracking on that summer bucket-list of yours. However, while you’re out getting the most out of your summer, termites are trying to get the most out of your home. The summer is one of the most active times for a termite, and you better believe that they are doing everything they can to feed on your foundation, deck, and wood furniture. So, to help you quell the great termite invasion you can face, we have a few simple tips lined up for you.
When it comes to termite prevention, one of the easiest and effective things you can do is to remove any sort of greenery or free-standing wood near your home. This means take out any and all tree stumps, firewood piles, and sticks lying around. Since termites cannot crawl out in the open (as they’ll explode), they need to use cover to get into your home. By eliminating the substances that termites can take cover in, you effectively eliminate the chances of a termite infestation in your home.
However, there are certain situations where removing wood from your house is not the best course of action, say if you have a tree growing in your front yard that you want to keep. If that’s the case, then do not fret, as there are other preventative measures you can take to rid the termites. One such way is to inspect the exterior of your house, looking for cracks or defects that a termite can easily crawl through. Any imperfection in the siding, foundation, doors, or windows should be fixed as soon as possible, as they are easy entry ports for a termite.
In addition to the preventative methods, be sure to check around your home every few weeks for signs of termite damage. No defense is absolutely perfect, so you are going to want to make sure that you are not playing the host to these wood-eating critters. Peer into your crawlspace, venture down into the basement, and look for spindly, sandy-looking tubes on the wood, or tubes sprouting from the ground. Also be on the lookout for defrayed wood, or wood that seems like it has holes in it. These signs are all that of a textbook termite infestation. Should you find any of these signs, your next step should be to call an exterminator or a termite-removal service to clear the infestation.
When dealing with termites, time is of the utmost importance, so it pays to do a regular check, and call right away if you see any disturbances. The few minutes it will take you to check or to clean up your yard can easily compensate for the thousands of dollars in damages that you can potentially face from a termite problem.
This summer, beat the termites before they start. Clean up, check up, and then finish up that summer bucket-list. Trust us, you’ll thank us later.
