Avoiding an invasion of termites at home
For a homeowner from the city of Melbourne, pests to the home are something that we are aware of but fail to take seriously until it happens. When it does occur, it is a nightmare for homeowners and home dwellers. An infestation of termites in or around the home is unpleasant, to say the least. They have the ability to damage wooden structures in your home because they use it as a food source. Essentially, they eat everything out within the material to the point that it becomes hollow and leads to building structural and health risks. The costs to fix the issues can easily run into the thousands. Rather than turning a blind eye to the issue, Melbournites need to learn more about how termites can invade your home and to also learn about the measures they can take to prevent it. You can get a detailed analysis from a specialist in termite inspection as well as using a few of the tips provided below.
Physical treatments
Physical treatments are popular. There are a variety of ways to use physical barriers to deter termites from invading your home. These include:
· Investing in granite chips – Graded stone barriers cannot be transported by termites and the particles are too small to get through.
· Termite shields – These have continuous sheets of fine stainless steel mesh that can be installed under buildings and structures during construction.
Chemical treatments
The use of chemical baits and barriers is another popular option when dealing with termite problems. The chemicals used to kill termites are called termiticides. There are a few ways termiticides can be applied.
Chemical barriers on buildings
This is achieved by creating a termiticide layer of soil surrounding and under the building that also integrates with physical treatment methods. In addition to the vertical barrier that is created with the physical treatment, a horizontal treatment is accomplished with the use of termiticides. Additionally, timber that is used for the construction of the building, fences and other outdoor structures are often treated with chemicals to repel or kill termites. Good termiticides can be effective for 4 to 10 years depending on the climate and soil conditions.
Chemical baits
Strategically placed baits can be used to attract termites to assess termite activity around the home. Once the termite activity has been identified, a termiticide is added to the bait in order to kill the termite colony and eventually reach the queen.
Avoid damp areas
Avoid creating damp areas around your home. Termites like to live in damp areas. Look out for any leaks from your gutters and pipes that may be creating damp areas around your home.
Simple things to keep in mind to prevent attracting termites.
If you are storing timber, be sure to keep the timber away from buildings.
· Avoid building any wooden (particularly timber) structures into the ground.
· Discourage termite activity by ensuring you have good under the floor ventilation. Identify potential threats early.
Destroy the queen of the colony
The termite queen has the ability to lay up to one thousand eggs per day. This means if you take action to destroy the colony, but the queen is still alive, she has the ability to rebuild her colony. A typical termite colony can have anywhere from three hundred thousand to over a million termites in the colony.
It’s advised that homeowners and lodgers pay attention to the threat of termites in the home. The destruction that they can do to a home can create serious safety hazards and lead to further financial stress.