What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Termites
Termites may be very small, but these bothersome insects can do quite a bit of damage to a home. Termites can eat through any wood or paper product in a house, including the structure's framework, drywall and subfloors. This damage can be very expensive to repair! To protect your home from this damage, note some information about how termites get into the home and how they cause all that damage!
Termites seek out more than just wood
Termites are attracted to wood as their main food source, but they are also always on the lookout for a water source! To reduce the risk of termites invading your home, you need to block their access to wood items such as firewood and outside decks, but you also need to check your yard for standing water and puddles and reduce humidity in the home. Flooded areas of a yard, such as below downspouts or underneath gutters, can attract termites outside the home, and a damp basement or humidity that's trapped in the attic can also attract these bothersome pests.
Termites eat constantly
Termites travel in colonies or swarms, and these colonies eat wood constantly. This is why termites typically cause tremendous damage to a home in a very short amount of time! If you live in an area that is at an elevated risk of termite colonies, get termite treatments as needed to prevent infestations before they occur, rather than waiting until after your home is infested to call an exterminator.
Home remedies rarely work
You might be tempted to save money on pest control for your home by buying insect killers from a home improvement store, or making up homemade remedies you spray or sprinkle around the house. However, store-bought products and home remedies are often very weak and ineffective when it comes to controlling termite invasions and may not work well to kill termites that have infested the home.
A termite control expert, on the other hand, will usually know strong and effective pest control tactics and will also know the best places around a home to apply remedies and treatments. An exterminator can also give you personalised advice on how to avoid all pest infestations in your home. While it may be tempting to treat or try to avoid a pest infestation on your own, remember that the cost of a professional exterminator is typically much cheaper than the cost of repairs to your home if it should be invaded by termites!