Finding termites in your home or even in the soil around your home can be devastating. It's no secret that these bugs can chew a home to bits within a few short years. A pest control company can get rid of them, but once they're gone, you can't afford to slack off. Now, you need to focus on keeping the termites from coming back. Here are some ways to do that.
Improve the way your land drains.
There's nothing that termites love more than wet land. That's because wet land leads to wet wood. Standing water or saturated soil can expose the wood in your foundation, home walls, fence, and other structures, which will cause the wood to start rotting. That's when termites tend to take hold. Work with a landscaping team to have some drain tile installed or new ditches dug to keep your land and therefore your home dry.
Install some termite baits.
People often assume termite baits are intended to treat an active termite infestation. While they can be used for that, they can also be used to prevent a termite infestation. The hope is that any termites headed towards your home will find the baits first and stop there. They'll take the bait back to their nest and share it, cutting down on the termite population in that nest. You can and should place baits every 10 feet around the perimeter of your home if you've ever had a problem with termites in the past.
Alert the neighbors.
Make sure all of your neighbors know you've had a termite problem. This may prompt them to do things like put down baits, which will decrease the overall termite population in the area and help prevent another infestation. Also ask your neighbors to alert you if they notice any termites so that you can kick up your control measures.
Install a dehumidifier.
If you are not already running a dehumidifier, do so. By removing moisture from your home's air, you will be keeping the surfaces in your home drier, too, and dry surfaces are less appealing to termites. The best setting for a dehumidifier is between 45 and 55 percent relative humidity.
Once the termites are gone, you can breathe a sigh of relief. But then, you need to get back to it! Take the preventative measures above to keep those pesky termites from coming back. For more advice on keeping away termites, talk to a pest control company in your area.
When you come upon an ant in your home, what do you do? Maybe you kill that one ant and then set some traps to catch any others that come with it. Perhaps you spray some insecticides along the baseboards or in other places where ants tend to congregate. Sometimes these measures might take care of the problem, but other times they don't. If ants continue to be an issue, you'll need to call a pest control company. The same goes if you are dealing with roaches, mice, or some other pest. Learn more about pest control and what these companies do as you explore this website.