8 Ways to Prepare for Termite Season
Inflicting upwards of $5 billion worth of residential damage in the U.S. each year, termites are every homeowner’s worst nightmare. These tiny, wood-destroying insects are known for creeping into homes and eating away at their structures for years before they are detected. Here in Michigan and Ohio, termites are most active from March to May. During this time, they swarm homes with the intention of reproducing and expanding their colonies. With termite season quickly approaching, we wanted to provide you with some helpful tips to prepare your home and protect it against these destructive insects.
Tips for Preventing Termites
Termite colonies are often made up of thousands, sometimes even millions, of termites that are constantly on the hunt for an adequate source of food. They are attracted to cool, moist environments and mainly consume wood products that provide cellulose (such as dead trees, dead plants, structural timbers, hardwood floors, and more) which makes the structure of a home very inviting. Luckily, there are things you can do to keep termites out of your home.
Below are 8 ways to prepare your home for termite season:
- Store firewood away from the home: One of the biggest mistakes a homeowner can make is storing firewood or lumber against their house. Termites love to hide in and feed on piles of wood before finding a new source of food. If they are already against your house, chances are they are going to find their way inside.
- Stop using mulch: Wood mulch is a great way to protect and enhance the appearance of your garden, but it is also a great way to attract termites. It is best to find an alternative (such as pine needles), but if you would prefer to continue using mulch, it should be kept at least four inches from the foundation of your home.
- Trim your trees: Overgrown trees that extend over your home make the perfect pathway for termites. Tree branches should be trimmed at least five feet away from your home.
- Eliminate wood-to-ground contact: Wood lattices, wood siding, wooden door frames, and any other wooden features of your home that make contact with the ground need to be altered. These are very common entry points for termites, so any wood should be at least 6 inches above ground level. Some homeowners choose to put a concrete base on these wooded items.
- Repair cracks: Termites are tiny insects, which means even the smallest crack or crevice is big enough for them to make their way into your home. Walk around the foundation of your home and seal these cracks, holes, gaps, or crevices with some caulk to keep them out.
- Reduce humidity in crawlspaces: Crawlspaces often collect moisture, which creates a perfect environment for termites. To discourage termite activity, reduce moisture in your crawlspace by ensuring adequate ventilation and installing sheeting over the soil surface.
- Keep water away from your foundation: An excess of moisture around the foundation of your home can create a very inviting environment for termites. Properly maintained gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks are the key to keeping water away from your foundation.
- Schedule professional pest control: Professional pest control experts can pre-treat your home for termites and conduct routine inspections of your home to ensure it is fully protected.
Call Frame’s Pest Control!
Here at Frame’s Pest Control, protecting your home against pests is what we do best. As a local, family-operated company, we are passionate about delivering the top-quality customer care you need and deserve. We understand that a termite infestation is the last thing you want to deal with, which is why we will do everything we can to keep them away. Using the Sentricon termite colony elimination system, we can attract termites and eliminate their entire colony before they have a chance to make it into your home. Our termite control experts also conduct routine inspections of your home, which enables us to identify a termite infestation before it causes tons of problems for you.
For reliable termite control, contact Frame's Pest Control today. We look forward to serving you!