Be it subterranean termites or drywood termites, infestations from these destructive pests have been dreaded by homeowners and establishments. Having a termite colony on your property means possible destruction of its structural integrity, specifically those made of wood. They also multiply pretty fast. Businesses and homeowners must put their first lines of defense up and do preventative measures against termite infestation, especially if they’re susceptible to one.

So how do you prevent termite damage? After inspecting your property for areas susceptible to infestations, you can start executing termite prevention steps. Among other things, you should avoid wood from having contact with soil, eliminate the presence of moisture, declutter your property, place infected things under direct sunlight, and apply borate as well as other termite control products on wood before priming and most importantly, seeking help from a professional pest control team.

Ways to Protect Your Foundations from Termite Damage

Some locations and conditions are susceptible to termite infestation, like wooden structures in contact with moist soil, leaks, or any form of liquid. Wood serves as the food source of these termites and having them in contact with excess moisture will make matters worse. It's always best to do preventative measures against future infestations to keep the integrity of your foundations intact.

1) Avoid Ground Contact

Avoid having your wooden foundation or crawl space from coming into direct contact with soil, especially moist soil. Wooden structures on soil highly attract termites because it's conducive to their living needs: it offers an abundant source of food, shelter, and moisture. It also allows a hidden but direct entrance to your property. Your wood siding, window frames, or door must be above ground level at about 6 inches.

You can invest in having a concrete foundation to cut the soil-to-wood contact. You might need to pull the soil or wood mulches back from your foundation and cut off the bottom of the wood latticework. You may also provide posts or additional support on the concrete base.

2) Eliminate Moisture

Termites love humid places. Properties with an abundant buildup of moisture and wood are perfect habitats for termites. To avoid termite invasion, ensure fixing water damage in your home or establishment. Inspect your water pipes and check for water leaks, and ensure that your faucets, toilets, and showerheads are functional.

Eliminating moisture also includes checking the overflow pipes of your water heater and air conditioning units. Some homes or establishments have water dripping at the side of their property, which keeps the wooden siding and other wooden fixtures wet.

3) Declutter

Like most pests, clutter can also attract termites. Pay attention to cardboards, papers, old newspapers and magazines, boxes, and others, because these are perfect for nests and sources of food for termites. Avoid moving furniture or stuff from a room with termite infestation to other rooms because that may spread your termite problem.

4) Place Items With Termites in the Sun

Place furniture or any other type of furniture infested by termites under direct sunlight for 3 days straight. Better do this during the summer when it's hotter because termites don't like the heat. The heat from the sun will kill the termites and remove moisture. You may also dust off your furniture or infected item while it's out in the sun and apply termite control spray before bringing it back to your property.

5) Apply Borate on Wood

Borate or boric acid is one of the most reliable termite treatments you can easily find. It's also effective against other pests infesting your home. Spraying borax on your wood structures before applying primer and paint. The wood will absorb the borate and serve as a barrier to termites wanting to eat it. Borate spray can keep termites off your wooden structures for decades.

6) Apply Preventative Termite Treatments

Seeking the help of a professional pest control company is still the best option for treating your home with termite control products. Proceeding with termite control treatment without further assessing and studying the situation may aggravate the problem. 

Here are some pest control products you can use:

• termite bait - termite baits are slow-acting pesticides that lure termites to eat from it and distribute them to the rest of their colony. By the time the poison has already kicked in, it's already spread throughout the nest.
• direct chemicals - these are fast-acting termite control products that exterminate termites upon contact. These are suitable for applying at holes, crevices, and other entry points termites may crawl into.
• termiticide barriers - these are slow-acting pesticides, like termite baits. These non-repellent sprays may be applied on the perimeter of your homes or business establishments for termites to crawl on. Termites with contact with the treatment will also spread the poison to the entire colony once they return to their nest.
• bacterial nematodes - those looking for more natural options may place these natural parasites and mix them with soil in the garden or lawn.

Here are just some of the termite control treatments you can use. Ensure inspecting your property for signs of termite infestation, such as the appearance of mud tubes, hollow sounds of wood, wood debris, and more.

7) Seek Regular Termite Inspection From A Pest Control Professional

If you want to ensure you're protected from different termite species from infesting your property, it's best to invest in a professional pest control treatment. They are equipped with the most advanced pest control solutions and materials that can keep your property protected not only from termites but also from other types of pests.

The Best Pest Control Services at Positive Pest Management

While it’s good to be aware of the telltale signs of termite infestations, it’s better to be safe than sorry from possible structural damages due to termite infestation by seeking the services of a reliable pest management professional. This is to reduce the risks of termite infestation and keep not just your property but also you and your family protected.

Choose Positive Pest Management for keeping you protected against termites and other types of pest infestations. We offer our services in both New York City and Nassau County Long Island for residential and commercial establishments needing pest treatments. Get a free estimate by giving us a call or schedule an inspection from us right away.