How to Get Rid of Termites – Essential Steps
How to get rid of termites: termites are a tricky business. They affect 1 in 30 homes in the United States. You want them out of your house and life ASAP, and who wouldn’t? Termites can permanently damage the structural integrity of your home over a 6 month period, sometimes even quicker in the warmer months.
Is the termite infestation currently active? How much damage have the termites actually caused, and at what rate are they causing further damage? What kind of termites am I dealing with here? How much will termite treatment cost, and what’s the best method? Is the termite infestation too serious to handle on my own? These are all questions you should consider carefully before making any decisions. You can always do a bit of research and find the answers to these questions yourself, but when it comes to the actual termite treatment, it’s usually best to seek the advice of a certified professional. Even if you’re a do-it-yourselfer, termite inspections are usually relatively inexpensive, and can shed light on aspectss of the treatment process you may not have initially considered. And you never know, their price quote may just be just right and worth it to save yourself the time, effort and risk of trying to treat the termites on your own. Without weighing all the factors you may find yourself in over your head (hopefully not in a room filled with termites).
Confirming the Presence of Termites
Other than the very obvious hole in the wall filled with wriggling termites, there are a few other sure signs of termite activity. Check all wooden areas, especially near the foundation, for wood deterioration by first doing a visual spot check, and following up by thumping the wood with a gloved hand every few inches. Also be on the lookout for frass, or termite droppings, which can be a rusty brown, tan and sometimes black.
How to Get Rid of Termites – Termite Control
Termite Prevention, and Preparing for Your Termite Inspection
So you’ve decided to heed our advice and you’ve already scheduled a termite inspection with a reputable, local termite exterminator. Which is great, but you still don’t want to taunt the termite gods by turning your house into an offering through poor property management. There are a few things you can do to make sure you aren’t facilitating termite infestations:
Do a perimeter check around the outside of your home ensuring that there is no wood to earth to home contact. This includes any woodpiles, cedar chips, rotting fencing or trees, et cetera.
Check that your rain gutters are flowing properly, and away from your home. Pooled water caused by clogged gutters, leaky faucets, and the soil around your home sloping downward towards the house can create a hospitable environment for termites.
Seal up any foundation gaps, stress cracks, electrical openings, gaps near exterior plumbing, and water rot in the structural wood of your home. Openings like these are like an open invitation into your home to termites. Be sure to install insect screening on the foundation vents, and other necessary vents of your home.
Most of these things should be revealed by a thorough termite inspection, but some companies charge by the hour rather than per square foot, and any time you can take off the length of their inspection is money in your pocket.
Wikipedia – Termite Pre-treatment