How To Avoid Wood Termites

Look for sawdust like material around any holes or cracks around your home.

How to avoid wood termites. To deter the pests homeowners can obtain heartwood grade lumber for construction projects. Leave at least 6 inches of space between the ground and wooden decks porches and patios. Location of the home homes in the wettest parts of the country such as the south and gulf coast are more likely to experience termites. Consider using termite resistant wood in areas where wood must touch the ground and be sure to pretreat wood when building a new house or renovating your old one.

The sawdust like matter is known as frass which is a form of termite excrement. Termites also tend to avoid specific species of trees such as redwoods yellow cedar laotian teak and cypress. Avoid stacking firewood against your house and remove tree stumps from your yard. Distance and off ground wood storage are a good defense since these critters don t travel far without food.

The subterranean termites often the most aggressive and destructive. Therefore it is naturally less attractive to termites. Examine by probing exposed wood for hollow spots using a flathead screwdriver or similar tool. In sheetrock blistering may appear where termites entered and fed.

There are certain types of wood that they ll avoid if they have any choice in the matter there are others that they can t eat at all and still more that are even toxic to them. Raise the stored wood 8 to 12 inches off the ground. This wood is darker denser and less permeable than the surrounding timber. Some of the ways to discover if you have termites are listed below.

These are highways that help the termites avoid sunlight control moisture and stay protected. Subterranean termites eat the soft wood between the grains while drywood termites eat across the grain with no patterns. Termites can eat a wide range of wood products but they can t devour all of them. Don t apply pesticides to the wood thinking that this will kill existing termites or protect against new infestation.

Mud tunnels are also common evidence of termite activity. Most people are not aware they have termites until they see a swarm or come across damage during construction. Identify termite swarms sometimes ant swarms are mistaken as termites. Cracks in your home especially in the foundation roof or walls.

Drywood termites build their homes in dry wood much like their name suggests while subterranean termites live in the ground.