How to Get Rid of Termites

Termites can destroy structural framing in short order. Learn the signs of infestation, inspect every year or two and consult a professional to confirm your suspicions. Above all, be persistent--your enemy is!

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Insect Screening
• Bright Flashlight
• Caulk And Applicator
• Large Screwdriver
• Sturdy Awl

Make a thorough inspection

1. In warm months, you may spot dry-wood termites when they swarm and come out of hidden infested areas.

2. Look for structural wood damage at the first-floor level, especially where the foundation meets the walls and below exterior doors. First search carefully with a flashlight. The damage may not be visible, so thump the wood with the heel of a large screwdriver and probe with a heavy-duty awl in search of hollowed-out wood.

3. Look for very small tan, reddish-brown or black droppings.

4. Inspect the foundation walls inside and out in search of mud tubes. Subterranean termites live in the soil and close to a moisture source but feed on structural wood members, which they access by building mud passageways extending from the soil to the wood.

Confirm your suspicions

5. If you find a problem (or enough evidence to suspect one), call a professional to confirm your suspicions and discuss options for elimination, control, prevention, treating existing wood and making repairs using naturally termite-resistant or treated lumber.

Work on prevention yourself

6. Repair any water leaks or dripping outside faucets.

7. Control roof water by correcting gutter problems. See How to Patch a Gutter Leak, How to Redirect Rainwater From a Downspout and How to Unclog Gutters and Downspouts.

8. Correct grading and other drainage problems near the foundation. See How to Troubleshoot a Wet Basement.

9. Remove or elevate all wood in direct contact with soil, such as a stack of firewood.

10. Inspect, repair or cover all foundation vents with insect screening.

11. Caulk your home's exterior to fill all cracks, especially between the foundation and house walls.

Tips & Warnings

• Call in the pros for treatment and structural repairs.
• Replace white light bulbs, which attract insects, with yellow or pale-amber ones in your outdoor fixtures.
• Although any treatment should last about five years, provided there are no untreated gaps in the chemical barrier, inspections every two years are recommended.
• Know your enemy. Learn about insect behavior, their eating and nesting habits, and the signs of their presence.