What Attracts Termites To Your Property?
Termites are mythological creatures for most people. They know about the damage they do from viral videos of collapsed houses on YouTube. But because they’re so small and hard for the human eye to capture, it’s out of sight, out of mind, as we push them to the back of the mind and pretend they don’t exist. The problem with this negligence is that you won’t know you’re living alongside them until after they’ve infested your home and made many meals of your framework.
The best solution to keeping your house termite-free is to start at the source and eliminate what attracts termites to your property. Prevention is a lot easier and cheaper than a cure. So what are termites attracted to? In this article, we’ll explore what attracts termites to your property so you can prevent these little critters from invading your home. We’ll be covering:
What are termites?
Even though they’re not related to ants, termites look like white ants and they’re casually referred to as just that—white ants. There are different types of termites but they’re all under one centimetre long and have the ability to fly, so it’s hard to get a glimpse of them in a natural setting. They communicate by termite noises and natural vibrations to send various information to each other. Oftenly confused for other bugs, termites act as little cleaners of the earth, existing on every continent in the world, except for Antarctica and feed off rotting wood, dead animals and plant material.
What attracts termites to your home?
We know termites feed off dead wood and composting materials. The problem is that we use wood in our building structures, and termites can’t understand that humans don’t want them to eat that particular timber.
As well as feeding on timber and organic materials, termites are also attracted to warm, dark and damp places, which makes the undercroft and internal structure of your house a dream for them. When they find an appealing area, they will build a nest and reproduce there which is particularly problematic and harder to eradicate.
Here are some key areas common in homes that attract termites.
Moist-soil areas
Termites absolutely love soil moisture. It’s where they feel most comfortable while having lots of goods to feast on. Houses with retained soil moisture in the ground pose a risk of termite infestation, so homeowners need to take a proactive approach to minimise moisture in the soil. Again, a preventative measure is best. You can correct bad drainage and ventilation, re-work waterlogged areas and repair broken taps and faucets to keep soil dry.
Decaying wood
When we talk about what attracts termites, we don’t need to search much further than the wooden structures of your home. Decaying wood is like bread and butter for termites to eat. It’s their go-to, death row meal, a perfect early warning sign of termites. It’s important to stay aware of any areas in your home that are at risk of decaying wood in order to prevent termite infestation. Here are some common causes:
Internal leaks
Internal leaks can come from leaking showers, taps and pipes. Water is a slippery substance and will always find a way through things if given the chance. When an internal leak is present, it will eventually make its way into the wooden framework and begin to rot wood or collect in the soil under your property. Roof leaks are another pristine opportunity to water-log and decay the wooden structure in your wood and attract termites to your home.
Poor construction
Poor construction can mean many things. In terms of vulnerabilities to termite infestation, cracks in the concrete slab, gaps in joints, improper or absent waterproofing and damage to the ant capping are the main ways that poor construction contributes to infestation.
If your house is older, it’ll sit on piers that attach to a wooden frame, which means construction needs to be good quality to block water from entering the foundation and damaging the wood. These older homes are built with metal capping installed to block the timber floor framing from termites and ants. But the damage in this barrier means termites can enter and cause termite damage to the most critical parts of your home.
Tips to prevent termites from invading your property
A lack of visibility makes it extra challenging for homeowners to manage termite inspections. Houses built on piers have preventative measures built into them, but as we know, construction elements can wear down over time. When you can’t see into the foundation of your home or behind walls, termite damage or activity is invisible.
Homes built on concrete slabs have the same threats to their floor foundation, but the timber floors above the slab and the sides of their home are still at risk. If there is soil and plants at the edge of the slab, it can act like a bridge to the timber structures in the home for termites to cross.
Termites are a pest and can cause havoc on both the inside and outside of all types of homes, and it’s even more problematic when you can’t identify their presence for yourself. Beyond calling in the professionals for an inspection, adopting a preventative mindset to removing what attracts termites is very helpful.
Apply these tips habitually to protect your home:
- Remove stumps, roots and other wooden objects lying around your property. If you get a tree removed from your property, make sure the entire root system is taken away too, as dead stumps are a feeding ground for termites.
- Avoid using cellulose materials like newspaper and wood for garden mulch.
- If you find these pests, flooding the region can quickly kill termites off before getting a professional in to finish the job.
- If an area looks suspicious, you can dig into the soil in a few areas to uncover their subterranean tunnels or nests as an early inspection method.
What to do if you find or suspect termite activity
At the point when you think or know you have a termite infestation, you need to call in a professional to tackle the problem because it can seriously damage your property. They aren’t easily deterred with localised treatments, and getting rid of termites adequately requires a comprehensive approach.
The sooner you can identify and remove termites the better. Take it from us at Specialist Termite, you don’t want to wait until it’s too late and you’re replacing entire structures in your home. We know what attracts termites, and we’re ready to inspect, diagnose and treat termites to protect your home.
Just contact our Termite Specialist team for the best termite control services at 1300 695 949 today to better understand what attracts termites and secure your free, no-obligation at-home termite assessment.
