Furnishing the interior, mowing the lawn, and cleaning out your gutters are important tasks to maintain your home, but you should also be placing time and energy into learning how to prevent termites. Considering these small insects can wreak havoc on your life, protecting your home from termites is essential. Unfortunately, using certain products to prevent pests can affect the environment and your health. Here are a few simple, non-chemical, non-toxic solutions to protect your home from termites.
Remove Moisture
Termites and other pests are attracted to moisture. If water or dew builds up on or around your home, it will become more appealing to these awful insects. To remove moisture from in and around your house, use the following steps:
- Clean Up Landscaping – Moisture builds upon high grass and overgrown shrubbery. Be sure to mow your lawn and trim your shrubs, trees, and flowers regularly.
- Remove Debris – Remove any unused gardening containers, pots, planters, toys, and other debris from around your yard that may accumulate rain and dew.
- Repair Leaks – Inspect your irrigation system and outdoor spigots for signs of leaks. Repair these leaks to reduce the risk of excess moisture around your home.
Remove Feeding Sources
Termites are attracted to moisture, but they are also attracted to food sources. Cleaning up the yard around your home will reduce the risk of a termite infestation.
To get started, remove any pieces of wood from around your home. Firewood, wood for an upcoming project, or wood scraps are all delicious sources of food for termites. Even if the wood is set out away from your home, termites will feed on them and then quickly move to your actual home.
Wood mulch is also an issue that should be addressed. Mulch is not only made out of wood pieces that will become food for termites, but mulch also has a great deal of moisture trapped inside. Termites will find the moist wood appealing.
Repel Termites Naturally
Removing sources of moisture and food from around your home are beneficial tasks, but you can also prevent termites using a natural repellent.
Diatomaceous Earth, or DE, is available in a white powder at your local home improvement store. This powder will kill any insects in your home and yard without affecting surrounding vegetation, children, or pets. DE is also a great option for creating a barrier around your home, which will repel termites, stopping them from entering your home.
Dig a trench around your home that is approximately 3 feet deep. In a large bucket, mix 9 cups of sand with 1 cup of Diatomaceous Earth. Pour this mixture into the trench around your home to reduce the risk of a termite infestation.
Termites are dangerous insects that can cause expensive damage to your home. To learn more ways to prevent termites or kill an infestation, contact the Bug Commander in the Frisco, TX area at (214) 307-1933.