Imagine this: you come home one day from a long day of work. You set your bags down, open up your gorgeous cabinets, and look for a refreshing snack. You worked hard, you deserve it. As you pull the snack out of the cabinet, you see an unusual circular figure in the back of your cabinet. You take a poke at it and the back of your cabinet just crumbles! Uh-oh. Now you have a problem that you don't even know where to start to deal with. All you know is that the only culprit is a termite and his best pals ripping through your wood. None of us think it will happen to us, but it does. That’s why it is crucial to take the proper steps to keep them away. Luckily, we have those steps. Here are 5 precautionary steps to take to prevent termites.
Know how termites get in
Homes are most at risk in the beginning of spring. This is mainly because of termite swarms. This is when winged termites mate and start new colonies. Termites will come in from the exterior so you want to make sure everything's up to date on the outside. Things such as your air conditioning and your roof are the main ways for them to invite themselves in because of moisture. So, be sure to have the moisture released from your air conditioning away from your home and repair any shingles.
Identify infestations
Termites resemble a winged ant. If you start to notice these types of creatures in your house, you could have a problem. To tell the difference, termites have straight antennae while an ant’s antennae are bent. Other common signs of termites are worm-like tunnels on the surface of your wood or wing droppings.
Get termite inspections annually
Every 365 days, you should get your house checked for termites. Especially if you live in a wooden area. Seriously, the earlier you catch these the better. Also, the inspections will cost a lot less than having to find a new home. Keep in mind, termites can destroy your home in just two years!
Concrete bases win
If you can swing it, renovate your home to have the least amount of wood in the ground as possible. Termites can easily chew through wood and travel into your home. Chewing through concrete will be a different story. Plus, it might just look really nice with your house.
Pre-treat your home
If you are building a home from the ground up, you should pre treat the wood with a barrier of termiticide. You should hire professionals to do this task. It will be one more reason why you can rest comfortably without fearing of a termite infestation.
Termites cause billions of dollars worth of damage each year in homes alone. This is a very important matter but easily overlooked by many. By just implementing a few steps provided here, you could potentially save your home from what could be a terrible termite infestation. Isn’t it crazy how a small bug could do that much damage? Good luck to staying ahead of the termite chase.
