3 Tips for Successful Termite Control
According to statistics, termites are responsible for approximately $100 million worth of damages to homes annually. Therefore, it is critical to protect your home, especially if you live in the tropical and subtropical areas of Australia. Termite control is the best way to take care of this problem. This article highlights tips for increasing the success rate of termite control.
1. Remove Scrap Wood from Your Property
Termites primarily target wood, and that is why houses made of timber are most prone to damage. However, builders often prevent this by treating wood with anti-termite applicants such as paint. That said, your efforts to keep termites at bay will be undermined if you store untreated scrap wood in the house. Apart from targeting the scrap pieces, termites will scout your property for areas where the treatment has worn off. For this reason, every homeowner must remove any pieces of untreated scrap wood to avoid costly damages. This tactic ensures that your property stays termite-free for years.
2. Target the Worker Termites
Termites operate in a caste system. A queen's sole purpose is to lay eggs while the soldiers' big heads and strong piercers make them perfect defenders of a colony. On the other hand, worker termites look for food for an entire colony. It is common for property owners to attack a termite mound in an attempt to destroy a colony. However, doing so only alerts the soldiers who will then take the queen deep inside a mound. If a queen escapes, then you will soon be dealing with another termite attack. The best strategy to get rid of an entire termite colony is poisoning the worker termites. You can do this by poisoning the food that the workers carry back to a colony. The approach will wipe out an entire colony without breaking a sweat.
3. Inspect Your Home Regularly
While you might think that you have successfully terminated a termite colony, you can never be too sure. That is why it is essential to inspect your home regularly. Termites are difficult to spot during the day because they like staying in dark areas such as the foundation or a floorboard. Therefore, inspecting your home regularly for telltale signs of termite activity is crucial. For example, the presence of wood dust in certain areas is a sign that you have a termite infestation. Pest control services are better placed to conduct an inspection.