Your first step towards protecting your house would be to identify and alter surroundings around your home in order to minimize the chances of termites’ survival. Moisture, food (wood) and shelter are three basic necessities of these insects.

Next, you have to act and make the insect incapable of locating food (wood), moisture and shelter. Certain situations can be really favorable for the growth of termites. Read on…

  • Soil in contact with wood, paper etc. provides immediate and invisible access to food. To avoid this, make sure that all the wooden sections of the house base are placed at least 7 inches above the soil. Also remove dead trees or roots that lie near the base.
  • If water accumulates near the base, then it supplies the much needed moisture for termite germination and survival.  Hence, arrangements should be made for rain water to slope away from foundation. Drain tiles can be used for a flat base. Leaking faucets or water pipes should be promptly repaired. Plants and ground covers should maintain a good distance from home base.
  • A crawl space that is deprived of proper ventilation enhances termite endurance.  For this around 75% of the soil façade in the crawl area ought to be covered with a vapor barrier (6 ml polyethylene sheet).
  • Moreover, termite can access your home in many hidden ways. So make sure that you trim plants regularly.  Check joints in slabs for presence of termites. You need to remove mulch that touches the siding.

After all the above precautions, even if you have the slightest of doubt, then you ought to consult a professional because you never know how intensely they have already attacked your home. People with some knowledge of how these insects move about may not even need to consult a professional.

Insecticides can be inoculated directly into the affected wood. Holes can be drilled and chemicals can be pumped in the infested wood which leads to termites’ extinction within 4-6 months. Insecticides may be very effective but they may bequeath traces of harmful toxic residue in your home. A few non-toxic methods of eliminating termites include-

  • Boric Acid Treatment- Dissolve the acid in water and apply on the affected area. It will keep termite of for years. (boric acid can be toxic on human)
  • Microwave Treatment- Small, microwave look-alike equipments are made to emit rays upon the affected area. They disrupt termites within 2-4 days. They are usually used for a small area like a door or a window.
  • For depleting termites at beginning stages of growth applying liquid nitrogen is an effective method.
  • Termites can also be destroyed by giving high energy electrical shock, whatever the location be.