A mosquito bite creates a small bump, causing, for most, just a little irritation. A termite bite however tears away at the fabric of your home or business. In fact, termites cause billions of dollars in property damage each year in the U.S. alone. Though similar in size, it is apparent which pest poses the most threat to a person's well being.
Termites are small pale-bodied insects, with a hunger for organic matter, preferably wood. These nasty critters can eat away at your home or business without giving you the slightest clue of the damage silently being dealt in your walls, behind your wallpaper, and throughout your floorboards. It's not until the nest spawns swarmers, a flying breed of termites, that you will even know they have entered your home. That is, unless you know what to look for. Here are some ways to know if your property is already under attack.
Self Inspection
Termites find there way into your home's foundation anywhere dirt touches wood. Whether it be a garden next to your home or a mud tube created as safe passage by termites to reach the wood around your house. These mud tubes can be as small as the width of a pencil. Check for cracks in your foundation, as well as mud tubes leading up into them. Check the outside edges of windows and doors looking again for mud tubes or even wood damage. Be sure to check hard-to-reach places such as under your porch, patio, or any tightly confined area. Knock on wood--checking for any hollow sounding areas. This is a possible sign of termite infestation. These critters can be illusive. If you are uncertain, contact a local pest company and have them do a full inspection of your property. Once your are certain there are no termites living on your property, you will want to prevent a future attack. Let's look into ways of termite prevention.
Self Shielding
Termites love wood and travel through soil. Keep all soil and mulch at all times six inches below your home's foundation. Make sure any dead wood, such as firewood, remains at least 20 feet from you home. Any termites in your fire wood will eventually look for a new source of food. If that food is your home, they will stop at nothing to get to their goal. Make sure no limbs are growing too close to the siding of your home. Termites can use these natural bridges to enter your home from above.
No matter how much bug spray you put on, a mosquito will find some way to leave you scratching the next day. These tips are the same way, they will assure a lesser chance of termites, but are not a sure fix. The best form of protection lies in the hands of pest experts. Contact a termite control agency and have them do a full inspection of your home. Also ask them about the most recent advances in termite prevention technology, such as the new SENTRICON system. This is the best way to protect your investment against these tiny silent destroyers.