If you own a home in South Carolina, you’ll need termite protection. Even with termite treatments, it’s important to follow good practices when it comes to termite prevention. Termites are very prevalent in our area and cause $5 billion in property damage every year across the United States. Not only can they cause damage to your home, they can also compromise the structural integrity of the home leading to bowing or collapsing floors or levels in your home. Here are the termite prevention tips you need to know!
1. Repair leaky faucets, water pipes and fix leaking exterior A/C units. Termites need moisture to thrive.
2. Replace weather stripping around windows and doors to help keep termites and other bugs out.
3. Replace or fix loose mortar around the foundation of your house and seal around windows and doors.
4. Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your house.
5. Eliminate sources of moisture in and around your home. Examples include standing water in bird baths, moisture in the crawl space and some types of plants.
6. Make sure downspouts and gutters are cleaned out and functioning properly to ensure rainwater is carried away from your house.
7. Repair fascia, soffits and rotted roof shingles. Don’t give termites a way in.
8. Keep an 18-inch gap between soil and any wood section of your home, if possible.
9. Watch for changes to exterior wood portions of your home and things like door frames, window frames and skirting boards.
10. Regularly inspect the area around your foundation for mud tubes. Termites use them to channel into and out of your home. Other termite signs include bubbling paint or wood that sounds hollow when you knock on it.
11. Schedule an annual inspection to check for termite damage by a pest control professional.
12. Don’t try to DIY your termite prevention treatments. The risk for error is too great and the chemicals used to combat termites need to be handled by a professional.
Termites cause billions of dollars in damage every year. Don’t let your home become part of that statistic! Follow these termite prevention tips along with having regular professional termite treatment from The Pest Force. Don’t sacrifice your peace of mind. Trust us to keep your home safe from termites.