Natural Termite Control
As spring approaches, you may have your mind on building a new deck or planting flowerbeds near your home. One thing that isn't on most homeowner's agendas is preventing the infestation of termites. Unfortunately, spring is when they tend to make their most blatant appearance. Here are a few natural termite control prevention techniques to consider as the days grow warmer.
How can you tell that your home is infested with termites? Some homeowners live for years without even realizing it. Some signs include small holes drilled in plaster or drywood. Other times you may notice small earthen tubes on the side of your home near the foundation. Other times you may find similar tunnels within some of the wooden areas in your home, especially if it's a particularly old building.
The most prominent sign that you have a termite infestation is the presence of termites themselves. Oftentimes winged termites emerge in the spring to find mates and start a new colony. Oftentimes homeowners mistake these for ants. However, unlike ants, termites do not have hourglass waists. Their wings are all one length and their antennae are straight.
There are a variety of different treatments available, including bait traps, fumigation, and even alternative natural termite control methods, such as using excessive heat, cold, or electricity to terminate the termites. However, it's widely agreed that the safest and most cost effective natural termite control method would have to be preventive measures.
One such technique is to be careful of the wood you use near your home. Are you planning on building a deck or a set of wooden stairs? Make sure the wood is naturally resistant to termites. Some examples of types of wood that do just that include cedar, walnut, cherry, maple, cypress, sequoia, and much more. You can also treat the wood and concrete around your area with termite resistant sealers. This will help enormously in keeping them from tunneling in.
Another good natural termite control method is to pay very close attention to your yard. Avoid keeping stacks of wood or compost heaps near your home. Set termite traps where applicable. Clean up puddles of standing water or sections of moist, humid earth as quickly as you can, for termites prefer damp, warm places. If you need to plant bushes or flowers near your home and plan to use mulch, keep a gap between the flower bed and your house.
In following these natural termite control techniques and many more, you can save yourself thousands of dollars in extermination fees. Most importantly, it's crucial that you have a termite specialist inspect your home and yard regularly to make sure nothing has gotten through your defenses. Learn more about natural termite control today!