Termite Prevention

Keeping termites away from your home in the first place can be the best way to save money although you will still want to have at least annual treatments to make sure that they don’t come around in the first place. But taking measures to be sure that conditions are not conducive to their survival just makes sense.

First, don’t feed them. Whether you know it or not, by having certain conditions present in and around your house, you are giving the termites a food source that will sustain the colony and keep them reproducing making more and more termites that will damage your home.
Keep your gutters clean. Wet leaves provide moisture and food for the pests, and since the gutters are attached to your home, it's an easy point of entry. Clogged gutters can also contribute to moisture problems by soaking wood off the roof and fascia boards.

Wood piles and construction debris, boards left touching the ground or fences without proper ground clearance can all be food sources. Cardboard is also a favorite food of termites and damp cardboard around or under a house could provide an ideal opportunity for termites.
Building a deck? Make concrete barriers part of your plan and be sure to use borate-treated, pressurized wood. The USDA's Forest Service has a bulletin on subterranean termites with helpful hints on construction practices.

Your contractor may also have suggestions for preventing termite infestations. Stucco facades extending near or into the soil surface provide a haven for termites, allowing them to move into a home undetected.

Termites love moisture which is why they feed on damp wood. Make sure the air conditioner tank is at least four inches from your house. Don't let it leak near your house. Dryers should vent away from the house -- the warm air is moisture-saturated from dried clothes. Washers should drain away from the house, too.

Check for leaky faucets and make fixing them a priority. Flat roofs are a bad idea; they harbor moisture and invite infestation.

Summer sprinkler play is fun for kids, but make sure the faucet is turned off --tightly -- after the water games are finished. Insulation around pipes should not extend all the way from the house to the soil. After cold spells are over, the insulation should be removed or at least have a gap large enough to allow homeowners to detect termites.