Termites are very stealthy pests with the ability to take down entire wooden buildings and furniture to your detriment. Due to their nature, you need to take some pest control measures to safeguard your home. If you have not seen a sign of termites in your home or you want to build a house, do not rest. Take steps to repel termites and call a pest control service to set up comprehensive prevention measures against termites in your property.
Termite Prevention measures
The prevention measures can be taken before building your house or on your property when it is already occupied.
Before building
- Chemical- A termite control chemical is distributed throughout soil around the foundation of the building. This makes the soil a chemical termite barrier. There should be no untreated soil around the foundation that will allow termites to gain access.
- Reticulation system- This is a network of pipes built that will be used to distribute termite repelling chemicals uniformly to the soil around the foundation. The chemicals will be applied every couple of years throughout the lifespan of the building to prevent termites from gaining access.
- Physical termite barriers- These are physical objects around the building that termites cannot penetrate. They can also be installed during renovation.
- Use of treated materials- Building standards dictate that the materials used, including timber, should be treated to be termite resistant.
If you are buying a house, call a pest control company to do an inspection. This will help you know if the house is infested with termites and other pests. This can inform your decision.
If you live in your house
- Detection measures - The pest control company will set up bait stations strategically around the perimeter of your property. These bait stations will help detect termite activity and measures can be taken to ensure they do not enter your house.
- Annual Inspections- These are done to ensure that termites are not quietly finishing off your furniture or the wooden fixtures in your home. A competent pest control company will also evaluate the risk of a termite infestation.
Preventive measures that you can take
- Proper disposal of debris- Timber, leaves and wood-based products lying around, especially beneath the floor of your house or in the garden is an invitation to termites.
- Prevent moist and humid conditions- Ensure leaky taps and pipes are fixed to prevent your house from having the moist conditions that termites thrive in. Ensure that the subfloor areas are well ventilated. Ensure that there is nothing that can breach the preventive measures, for example climbing plants around your house to enjoy the knowledge that your property is safe.