9 May 2018
 Categories: , Blog

Subterranean termites can cause a lot of damage in your home. In general, these pests live in the ground and feed on wooden materials. Under ideal circumstances, they would feed on random sticks and twigs in the wild. Unfortunately, if they infiltrate your property, any form of material with cellulose will be consumed. The vulnerable materials include your decking, structural timber frames and firewood in your home. If these insects are not prevented, they could cause unimaginable losses. Here are simple tips to help you control termites and prevent an infestation.

Remove Waste Wood

You should remove the wood around your house if you would like to prevent pest infestation. For example, you should not leave firewood and waste timber on the ground within your property. Typically, subterranean termites will build a nest in the ground. When they detect wood, they will create tunnels leading to the food source. It is important to ensure that there is no food source close to your house. If you have stacked firewood next to your building, the termites will eventually move from the pile and into your house. Therefore, you should always store the wood on a raised platform or rack and away from your building. You should also remover old stumps from the ground because the material can be consumed by the pests.

Minimise Moisture

Subterranean termites will be attracted to moisture in the ground. These pests cannot survive without sufficient moisture. In simple terms, they need the water to build the tunnels that allow free movement around the colony. Also, without moisture, the termites will become desiccated. Therefore, you should eliminate moisture around your house along with removing the food source. For example, termites will be attracted to the few drops of water leaking from the pipes around your house. This moisture could allow the termites to bridge the gap between the ground and the wood used to build your house. Repair leaky pipes and monitor the level of moisture around your house.

Conduct Inspections

You should commission regular termite inspections by a pest control expert. Typically, establishing some protective measures can minimise the risk of a termite infestation. However, there is still significant danger of the pests finding their way into your building because there is no fool proof protection method. If your residential property is inspected regularly, the presence of termites will be discovered early before the pests can cause significant damage in your house. Moreover, the pest control expert can deal with the infestation with speed and efficiency.