Top 3 Termite Prevention Tips

The last thing you want to discover in your beautiful old wooden home is tiny little piles of dust on the floor near the walls. Unfortunately, termites can be a large and ongoing problem in Australia which means staying on top of the issue is incredibly important.

If you begin to notice termite activity, it's pivotal that you can fast or you may risk an infestation that is almost impossible to get rid of. Read on to find out our top 3 termite prevention tips to protect your home from termites. 

In order to prevent termites successfully, it's important that you first know what termites are. Termites are tiny little insects that feast on a variety of common household materials that contain cellulose such as wood or plant matter. They also commonly eat paper, plastic and drywall.

This makes them particularly dangerous when it comes to your home as their eating habits can end up causing severe damage to the main structure of your home. Termites will build large nests in soil or wood and once they have entered your home, it is difficult to completely remove them.

Any timber or wood structure that is built directly onto the ground or soil is going to be a tempting food source for termites. This includes everything from decks, pergolas, patios, stairs and your house itself.

It's so important that when building a wooden structure you take measures to put some sort of barrier between the soil and wood of your structure. When building always ensure that there is at least 75mm of clearance between the wood and the ground. Metal stirrups were designed specifically to ensure that wooden structures have support while not touching the soil.

Water damaged wood is one of the main attractors for termites. Termites love damp and warm wood so they will find their way to wood that's been damaged by leaking taps, showerheads, toilets, burst pipes, leaky gutters, water pooling around the outside of the home, air conditioning units and hot water heater overflow pipes.

In order to prevent this from happening it's imperative that you find and repair any leaks or moisture sources before they have a chance to cause damage. 

Try to avoid storing any extra materials around your home that can act as food sources for termites. Anything from dead plant debris on your property to extra building timber or firewood that is stacked up against your home.

The fewer food sources available for them the less likely they are to target your home.

If you believe that you may be suffering from a termite infestation you need to call in the experts ASAP. The sooner you get professionals to assess your home, the sooner you can begin taking measures to clear out your home and prevent any further infestations.

Get in touch with our team today and see how we can help you out with any termite problems that you might have.