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The average single-family home has as many as four
termite colonies beneath it (and each colony has as many as 1 million
winged residents). The smallest of cracks in your foundation --
usually a basement or concrete slab -- is enough for those sneaky
termites to gain entry into
your home. And once they're inside, anything made of wood -- from door
frames to floors to furniture -- is fair game. As if this scenario
weren't bad enough, after they feast on wood, termites leave behind a
chemical trail that sends signals to other termites that food is near.
Once started, this trail of destruction is impossible to stop without
the services of a
professional who is skilled at locating the hidden regions of your
home where these termites take up residence.
As a homeowner, you can never prevent termite infestation with 100
percent certainty. However, you can take various measures to decrease
the probability of infestation in your home. Considering both the cost
of damage and inspection/extermination, you have absolutely nothing to
lose by trying every one of these precautions.
What are termites attracted to, besides wood? Moisture. It's
extremely difficult to ward off moisture throughout your home, and
especially underneath it, where termites gain initial entry to your
property. The good news is that in many cases, the problem starts in
areas you can reach -- outside and around your home, where wood
products are exposed to the elements and thus trap moisture. You can
discourage the conditions conducive to the accumulation of moisture
by:
Trimming all shrubs, bushes and other dense greenery away from
the foundation of your home.
So many homeowners collect piles of firewood outside their
homes come wintertime. But some of us who don't use the entire pile
let it sit throughout the rest of the year. This does you no good for
many reasons. First, the firewood begins to rot as it's exposed to
changes in the weather; second, it's ultimately useless because it
becomes wet with
moisture; and third (and most important), it's a magnet for termites
seeking a home. You'll obviously need to store some firewood outdoors
during the winter months -- particularly if you light fires often --
so your best bet is to keep the pile raised off the ground and away
from the edge of your house.
Consistent with the reasoning of the above-listed point, remove
all lumber, tree stumps and any other variety of wood from the
parameters of your home. If you're saving some wood for that
home-improvement project you're planning to tackle on a rainy day,
store it in your garage in a dry pot. No wood should be touching the
ground around your house, period.
If you've got leaky pipes or any accumulation of water
underneath your home, call a professional (or tackle the job yourself
if you're capable). If you've been putting off the job, don't stall
any longer. You may already have attracted termites to the water. By
the same token, if you find standing water anywhere -- inside or
outside your home -- get rid of it, and you discover that it's an
ongoing problem, call a professional home inspector to address the
issue and determine how you can solve it.
Clean your gutters and downspouts regularly. Clogs and other
obstructions can attract termite populations. Inspect your gutters
regularly for signs of disrepair.
Inspect your home's crawl space. If you discover any
obstructions, remove them at once. It may be in your best interests to
call an inspector to determine if the space is properly ventilated; it
should be in order to stave off termites.
Since drywood termites can prey on the outside of your home,
inspect your home regularly for any cracks. If you find cracks, seal
them immediately. Ensure that your home receives continual maintenance
to keep its exterior
paint in good condition. Chipping, peeling paint can increase the
likelihood of termite infestation.
The bottom line here is to pay attention to the regular
maintenance of your home. Keep appointments on your calendar to
perform self-inspections of your home. It's one of the smartest
cost-saving measures you can take, and in terms of the potential these
proactive steps can have for discouraging termite infestation, you
could literally save yourself thousands of dollars in damage.
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