They'll Eat You Out Of House And Home: How To Keep Termites Away

If you own your home, you need to be worried about termites. Termites are the one pest that can destroy your home from the inside out. Once termites start devouring your home, they won't stop until they've destroyed it, or they're eradicated. That's why you need to take as many precautionary steps as you can to keep them away from your home. If you're concerned about termite infestations, here are four simple strategies you can use to keep them from becoming a problem.

Treat the Bare Wood in Your Yard

Termites thrive on bare wood. If they can find bare wood in your yard, or on your home, they'll dig in and start chewing away. The best way to stop that from happening is to eliminate the bare wood in your yard and on your home. Treat your fences, and other areas that have bare wood, with a good waterproof sealant. Next, scrape all the peeling paint off your eaves, and give them a fresh coat of paint. Be sure to start with a good primer coat, though. The primer will help seal the wood and keep the termites away.

Remove Their Source of Water

Termites need plenty of water to survive. Once they find a good source of water, they'll stay there until it runs out. If you have puddles in your yard or leaky faucets and pipes, termites are going to thrive in the area. You can prevent termite infestations by removing their water source. Be sure that your leaky faucets and pipes are repaired as quickly as possible and that all puddles are removed from your property.

Go Heavy on the Landscape Sheeting

Termites spend a good portion of their time underground. They dig tunnels in exposed soil to travel from nest to nest throughout the colony. They also use those tunnels as access to food, which includes your home. If termites can't find easily accessible soil, they'll look elsewhere. To make sure your yard doesn't have accessible soil, be sure to use landscape sheeting in your yard wherever possible, especially around the perimeter of your home.

Get Rid of the Natural Wood Mulch

Termites thrive on natural wood mulch. That's because it locks nutrients into the soil, and also because it's a good food source. If you're going to be using mulch in your yard, be sure to switch to rubber mulch. Rubber mulch will lock moisture into the soil for your plants, but it won't provide benefits for the termites that are trying to invade your home. When laying the mulch, be sure to begin with a layer of landscape sheeting.

Keep termites out of your yard, and away from your home, by using the strategies described above. If you do notice termite activity around your home, be sure to contact an exterminator immediately. For more information, talk to companies like Budget Termite & Pest Control.