2 Outdoor Chores For Keeping Termites Out Of Your House
When you have a lot of wooden structures on and inside of your home, you may be worried that termites could find their way into your house and cause major destruction. While termites can be difficult to get rid of, there are a couple of things you can do outside of your house to help keep them from getting inside in the first place.
1. Trim Any Bushes or Trees Located Near Your House
While you may love the trees and bushes growing next to your home, they could draw termites. In particular, if the branches are touching the siding or roof, termites who have been feasting on any dead wood may decide to travel along the branches and investigate your home as a potential location for a new colony.
To keep this from happening, cut out any dead branches out of the trees or bushes a few times a year. Then, trim back any branches that are touching your house or that are too close.
Make sure you first research the ideal times to do the trimming, such as flowering trees and bushes in the late fall, as doing so at the wrong time of year could kill the branches. This would then attract termites and waste your efforts.
2. Keep a Moisture-Free Channel Around Your Home's Foundation
Another type of environment that attracts termites is moisture. If you have a flower bed right next to the foundation of your home, or if you surround your house with a layer of mulch, moisture is retained, and the water will attract the termites.
To keep from attracting the termites to your foundation, try to keep a moisture-free channel next to your home's foundation. Plant flower beds at least a foot away from the house, and remove any grass and weeds that are growing within the area.
Also, if you must have mulch around your house, make sure you do not place any of it in the channel. Mulch is typically made from bark, and as the moisture causes it to deteriorate, it becomes an ideal feeding ground for termites.
Performing the above outdoor chores periodically throughout the year can help make your home less attractive and less accessible to termites. However, sometimes they do find their way into your house. If they do, do not attempt to get rid of them yourself. Instead, contact a pest control service to have them determine the extent of the termites and discuss your options for getting rid of them.
