How to Repel Termites
Keeping a home termite-free requires routine inspections and preventative maintenance. Once granted entry to your home, these pesky critters will dine on the wooden structures. Termites are such a problem that lending companies often require inspections and treatment before granting a mortgage to new buyers. The best way to ensure the integrity of your home is to repel termites before they have a chance to set up shop.
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Things You'll Need
- Mortar (for foundation cracks)
- Pest repelling paint
- Pest repelling sealant
- Silicone caulking
- Termite barrier system
Instructions
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Get rid of any existing termites. Before you can repel termites from your foundation, you must ensure that you don't already have a colony eating away at your home. Look for tiny paths, extending from the bottom of the foundation to the top where termites travel back and forth to eat. It’s a good idea to have a professional take a look if you’re unsure.
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Remove all termite enticements from your property. Termites migrate underground and they will stay in areas where food is plentiful. Firewood piles, storage sheds and even wooden whiskey barrel planters encourage termites to edge closer to your home. In termite-prone areas, leaving any wood on the ground is an invitation.
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Improve the soil around your home’s foundation to repel termites. Termites need water to survive and a home that sits in soggy soil is at risk. Change the grade around your house so the soil slopes away, carrying water with it.
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Repair guttering and downspouts to draw water away from the foundation and consider removing foundation plantings if they require constant watering.
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Repair cracks in the foundation and cover low vents with a fine mesh. Paint or use a clear sealer on your foundation that contains pest repellent for additional protection. Thoroughly seal all exposed wood. A common source of termite entry is through the wooden sill of the home, located just above the masonry foundation and below the sub floor.
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Use a brush and apply clear sealant to the sill, making sure to work it into the cracks above and below the sill. You may have to get down and look up underneath the lip of your siding to reach the top of the sill.
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Consider installing a barrier system if your home sits in a known termite area. With baited in-ground stations, placed around the perimeter of the home, systems like Sentricon provide ongoing chemical treatment. Barrier systems are often required by banks when making a loan for a home. See the Resources section for a link.
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Tips & Warnings
Call the professionals if you suspect termites have taken up residence. Once found, it is imperative that they quickly eliminated before they can damage the structure.
Take precautions before you find termites.
Resources
- Photo Credit Royalty free image.
