Dealing with Termite Infestations in Centralia: How Experts Do It
A home is a significant investment. That is why homeowners will want to protect their investments. Sadly, unwelcome guests like termites can cause serious damage to a home without being noticed. This can cost homeowners plenty of money for repairs and treatment. If you are dealing with termites, Centralia pest control professionals can help you address the issue and prevent it from happening again.
What Draws Termites to Your House
Termites settle in areas that have easy access to food like decaying or softwood. They search for such habitats to establish a new colony, usually near or in your house. To deal with these pests, you should take preventative measures. Not treating or caring for the wood properly can encourage termites to infest it. Termite prevention starts with understanding what attracts them to your home. Common attractants include the following:
- Woodpiles. Firewood and woodpiles can draw termites and other pests to your home. A termite infestation can occur if the wood is near your home’s structure. Thus, to keep these pests away from your home, make sure to stack woodpiles 20 feet away or farther from your home. Also, raise woodpiles 5 inches above the ground.
- Mulch. You could invite termites into your house when you pile mulch around its base. As mulch may be wet for a long time, termites can use it as a food source. To keep these pests from getting into your house, ensure mulch is kept 12-15 inches away from the foundation of the house.
- Excess foliage. Termites munch on decaying wood, be it decomposing tree stumps or dead trees. Reach out to a professional to have fallen or dead stumps and trees removed before those little lumberjacks take up residence.
- Clogged gutters. Different types of debris can build up in the gutters. This can result in excessive water building up in certain areas around your house. As a result, wood and debris can rot, inviting termites to feast upon them. To prevent this from happening, clean the gutters regularly and install gutter guards, so foliage won’t build up. Also, you should fix incorrectly installed or missing downspouts.
How to Treat Termites
Pest control experts are trained in termite control. They employ proven and tested methods and treatments, making sure you get the best possible service. Below are ways they can treat termites in your house:
- Soil treatment. To protect your home against termites, experts can treat the soil around your house with insecticides.
- Wood treatment. To treat termites inside wood, experts use expansion joint treatment. This involves injecting substances that prevent the pests from entering your home’s walls or beams.
- Bait systems. Professionals can use bait stations to target areas with termite activity. This method has been proven to effectively deal with subterranean termite infestations.
