5 things you may be doing that can attract termites
- Stacking Piles of Wood Out Front of Your House: If you have a working fireplace and are fortunate enough to be able to chop/collect firewood on a regular basis, you should always stack the wood you collect at least 20 feet away from your house and at least five inches off the ground. Excess wood is basically an open invitation to termites, and both hard, dry wood and wet, soft wood can attract different varieties of this pest. It usually doesn’t matter where else on your property you store your firewood, though if you have a wooden shed, this can present a termite risk, especially if you decide to put additional wood in there.
- Letting Trees & Foliage Become Overgrown in Your Yard: If your yard has run wild with dead trees, overgrown shrubs, and rotten stumps, watch out—because you could soon have a termite problem on your hands. Termites often move directly from excess foliage into people’s homes, so you should try to clear your yard of dead plants and trees as much as possible. And speaking of plants and trees…
- Allowing Tree Limbs & Leaves to Almost Touch Your Home: Any trees that are close to your house present a risk of giving termites a pathway from the branches to your roof. Regular tree trimming can significantly reduce the chance of this happening, and is also a good way to help keep out rodents and make sure your property looks neat and tidy in general.
- Putting Down Mulch Too Close to Your Foundation: Mulch can be a great way to complete your landscaping or front yard, offsetting bushes and flower beds. However, because the wood in mulch retains moisture, it can also serve as a food source for dampwood termites. While you can still use mulch if that’s what will make your property look its best, we suggest placing it at least 15 inches from your foundation to prevent a termite infestation.
- Failing to Clean Out Your Gutters: When you fail to clean out your gutters, the excess moisture in the leaves and twigs can soften and rot patches of your roof. Roof rot allows termites to easily access your property, damaging your roof and eventually, the rest of your home, too. Make sure to clean out your gutters on a regular basis to prevent termites from getting into your house this way, and remember to watch out for signs of vulnerability on your roof. People forget that while some termites invade from below, the roof can also be a prime access point for these insects.
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