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Preventative Steps Against Termites
Subterranean termites can be a serious threat in Middle Tennessee. Those little home destroyers are able to feed on wood 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! That can do a number on your home and on your equity. But there are factors that can make one home more likely to be a meal for termites than another. Take a quick look at this checklist to see if there are conditions on your property that you can correct to make your home less of a target for these wood-destroying insects.
1. Reduce moisture.
Subterranean termites in Tennessee are drawn to moisture. Worker termites need a lot of moisture to survive because they have thin skin. Dampness also increases the likelihood that there will be rotting wood and subterranean termites eat rotting wood. Here are some of the many ways you can correct termite-attracting moisture issues in your yard
- Fix leaking spigots and hoses.
- Fix obstructed or damaged gutters so that rainwater is able to channel down and away from your home.
- Address compacted soil that allows rainwater to accumulate.
- Trim tree branches in areas where shade is dense enough to cause damp patches of ground for long periods of time. The presence of moss in your turfgrass is a helpful indication that you have an issue with damp ground.
- Overwatering of your lawn and landscaping can lead to soil saturation. Not only will this attract termites, but it's also not good for your vegetation. Check to make sure you're giving your plants the right amount of water.
2. Remove or replace old wood.
As wood ages, it becomes more interesting to subterranean termites. If you have planks on a fence that have been damaged by the weather, termites may take notice. If you have an old wood dog house sitting in your backyard, it might be time to upgrade. Before termites get into your home, it is likely that old or rotting wooden objects in your yard will draw them in.
3. Separate soil from wood.
Homes that have areas of wood touching the soil give termites a direct route into a treasure house of food. The same is true of sheds, barns, and outbuildings. If you have any structures on your property that have wood touching the soil, this condition should be corrected.
4. Move firewood and scraps of wood away from your outside walls.
If your primary heating source is firewood, it is important to realize how much of an attractant that wood is to subterranean termites, especially if it is sitting on the ground. It is a good practice to keep all firewood at least 20 feet from your home and elevated off the ground.
5. Remove stumps and logs.
It can be a pain to deal with stump removal but stumps can be the appetizer subterranean termites dine on before they dine on the wood of your home. Subterranean termites also feed on logs, decaying trees and other decaying material with cellulose. Check your yard for these natural sources of food and see if you can remove them.
6. Remove buried lumber or wood scraps.
If you, or someone who owned your home before you, buried wood scraps in the yard, these will definitely be an attractant for worker termites, and more so as the years go on. This is a big hassle, but definitely worth the work if you want to protect your Tennessee home from termite damage.
Termite Monitoring and Control
Removing attractive conditions that lure termites into your yard is of vital importance if you don't have ongoing, always active termite protection for your home. But, you don't have to worry about these conditions nearly as much when you have professional termite control like the Sentricon® System with Always Active™. Sentricon® with Always Active™ works to actively eliminate colonies that attempt to establish themselves in your yard. If an old dog house or rotting stump becomes the source of a colony, Sentricon® with Always Active™ will actively work to eliminate that colony when termite workers explore the soil around the foundation of your home.
Certified Sentricon® with Always Active™ Installation
If you'd like to have your home protected by the Sentricon® with Always Active™, we can help. The Tennessee pest control professionals at All-American Pest Control is a Certified Sentricon® with Always Active™ Installer and our subterranean termite protection service is backed by a $1,000,000 termite-damage warranty for homes that qualify. Get your termite protection in place today!
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