Termites "in the wild" – otherwise known as those that live in the yard and not in the home – may not be currently causing any damage to your house. Yet, there is always the threat that a colony could make its way into your foundation or into the walls of your home. Although you may never be able to completely eliminate exterior colonies, you can dissuade them from moving into your home. The following tips will help.
Tip #1: Keep the winter wood pile well away
If you burn wood for heat or atmosphere during the winter, it's important that you don't stack the wood too closely to your home. Wood leaning against the wall of your home, or even against another structure that is in contact with your house, makes an easy bridge for termites to traverse. It's also a good idea to never bring in more than a few logs at a time. As a general rule, if you aren't burning it that day, leave it in the woodpile.
Tip #2: Mulch carefully
Cellulose attracts termites, and many common mulches provide plenty of cellulose. The most problematic mulches around the home are wood and bark chips, as well as cardboard mulch. You can still use these mulches in your landscape, just make sure that they aren't too close to the foundation. Installing a barrier, such as concrete or stone, between the foundation and the garden bed can help keep termites out of your house.
Tip #3: Manage deadwood
Deadwood can be a veritable smorgasbord of termites. Whether it's an old stump on standing deadwood, dead trees can bring termites into your yard. Generally, any termites will stay in the dead wood. The problem is when the deadwood comes in contact with your home. This most likely occurs with standing dead wood, which may have branches that hang over your house and touch the roof or siding. In some case, large roots extend out from stumps and come in contact with the foundation. Play it safe and have any deadwood removed. Stumps are more difficult to remove compared to standing deadwood. Often, the best recourse, if you can't pull out the stump, is to grind it down well below the surface then apply a termite treatment to keep the pests away.
Following the tips above along with working with a termite control company can ensure your home never falls victim to a devastating termite infestation. For more information, visit a website such as http://www.craigandsons.com.
