Termites are something most homeowners fear. The problem is they can get into your home undetected and do a considerable amount of damage before you know they are there. As they eat through the wood in your home you can start to experience problems ranging from damaged wood to rotten floors and even structural instability.
The good news is that you can eliminate the termites yourself. You simply need to be vigilant for their activity and then select the right method of eliminating them.
Signs Of Termites
The first step is to be aware that you may have termites. They will leave small holes in your wood and a little sawdust near the hole. You may also find wings discarded because termites fly to a new nesting site and then discard their wings.
But, perhaps the most obvious sign that termites have made your home their own, is outside. If you have soil against the side of your home you’ve given the termites easy access to your foundations. That’s why all homes should have a 6” strip of concretes around them.
If you look in the soil you’ll see small holes. Cover one or two of them and take a look after 24 hours. The hole is the termite’s access to your foundations. IF it has been unblocked or a new one appears next to it, your termites are active.
Bait Traps
The most effective and surprisingly environmentally friendly way of eliminating termites is with termite bait traps. The best system will use a bait that is less toxic than salt to humans but lethal to the termites. More importantly, these traps effectively provide food for the colony.
The termites take the food back to the colony and they all eat it, effectively killing the entire colony, not just a single termite.
Liquid Barrier
You can purchase termite treatments from your local store. These are usually in liquid form and can be sprayed around the exterior of your home. This will stop termites from entering your home and prevent those inside from leaving. If they can’t leave they may not be able to get the moisture they need.
You can also spray this liquid onto the colony to kill them. However, you’ll need to locate the colony. That means crawling around in the crawl space and potentially drilling into infected wood.
It’s worth noting that while a liquid solution is effective, it will need replenishing regularly. Even the smallest gap will allow the termites through.
Treat Your Wood
Termites prefer untreated wood. This means that if you can access your wood treating it with a varnish or wood stain will help to deter these pests. Of course, this isn’t always an option as it may be impossible to access the wood.
Don’t forget that, even if you treat the termites yourself, it’s a good idea to get the experts in at least once a year to check your property for you. They’ll provide tips on how to improve your protection measures and verify that you don’t have an existing issue.
