9 Easy Ways To Prevent Termites From Spreading In Your Home

young man wearing PPE kit treating termite

9 Easy Ways To Prevent Termites From Spreading In Your Home

Termites can infest any home with furniture, flooring, wall panels and other wooden fixtures. These pests can chew through most things made with wood, paper or cardboard since they can digest cellulose. Common signs of a termite infestation include swarms of termites in one place, discarded wings of the insects, dropping, wood damage, etc. Usually, these signs become noticeable when the infestation is advanced.

You can hire pest control professionals in Australia to evaluate your house every year. This proactive measure will keep termites, rats, cockroaches and other pests away from your house. Additionally, use these nine ways to prevent termites from spreading in your home.

1. Control Moisture In Your House

Moisture causes mould and decay in wooden fixtures and surface attracting termites that feed on softwood. Homes can accumulate excessive moisture in hot and humid seasons and especially after a storm, flood or cyclone.

  • Invest in a dehumidifier to keep moisture in rooms down.
  • Turn on exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchen and the basement to keep them dry
  • Use an air conditioner in summer and monsoon

2. Remove Unwanted Furniture

Termites usually infest furniture that is seldom moved, accumulating dust & moisture over time. Therefore, you should only keep the necessary furniture and doesn’t clutter your home. Get rid of wooden furniture you don’t regularly use by donating it to a local charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission. You can also sell furniture via garage sale if the items are in good condition and termite-free.

In case you have a termite-infested furniture item, get it treated by experienced pest control professionals in Australia immediately or remove the furniture from your house to curb the spread.

3. Keep Affected Items In The Sun

Termite cannot tolerate heat and die when exposed to direct sunlight. Thus, if you have furniture, panels or other movable items infested with termites, keep them in your yard where direct sunlight can hit them. Let them remain outside for at least three days to ensure the pests die and moisture evaporates. Before bringing the items inside, insect and clean it thoroughly to prevent infestation again.

4. Repair Leaks

Termites target exposed wooden surfaces and fixtures like floors, beams, wall panels etc. If there is a leak in the house that dampens areas with these things, the chances of a termite infestation rise significantly. Excessive dampness leads to decay and mould development which is ideal for termites because they make wood soft. If the damp wooden surface is close to the ground, the infestation can happen a lot faster than you anticipate.

5. Shut Down Windows & Doors During Wet/Humid Seasons

Keep windows and doors tightly shut during rains, storms, cyclones and other natural events that can make your home’s interiors moist and humid. Termites and other pests are common in homes with surrounding environments having humidity, long periods of heat and excessive moisture. Thus, do your best to keep your house dry and cool during these periods.

6. Use Essential Oils As Repellents

You can use commercial repellents or insecticides for termites, but they contain chemicals that irritate your eyes, skin, nose and respiratory system. Therefore, use essential oils because they are natural repellents for many pests.

To get rid of termites, make a homemade solution with four drops of essential oil of choice in 3.7 litres of water. Add the solution to a spray bottle, steamer or vaporiser to treat the affected furniture or wooden area in your house. Here is a list of essential oils you can use.

  • Vetiver
  • Cinnamon
  • Orange
  • Tea tree
  • Lemon

7. Don’t Keep Outdoor Furniture Close To The Ground

Termites can easily travel to outdoor furniture when it is close to the ground and mud. Therefore, make sure to keep furniture at least 18 inches from the yard to prevent it from becoming moist and dirty. Infected furniture can cause further infestation when you store the outdoor furniture indoor in winters or monsoons.

8. Sprinkle Wooden Fixtures & Surfaces With Borate

If wooden fixtures and surfaces in your home need priming or painting, treat them with borate first to prevent termites. Get a borate solution for wood and spray it over furniture, floors, panels, baseboards, and other things to stop termites from attacking and eating them. Borate can keep termites away for years when it absorbs in the wooden surfaces well before priming, polishing or painting.

9. Get Pest Control Done By Professionals

When your household areas or things have a serious infestation, the best solution is to take the assistance of reliable and experienced pest control professionals in Australia. They will inspect your house thoroughly before devising an action plan and executing it to get optimum results. They may fumigate the entire property or treat a specific affected area with pesticides/insecticides that kill termites.

If you live in a humid part of Australia, make sure to get your house inspected for termites and other pests annually or bi-annually more as per requirement. Remember, prevention is better than cure.

The Bottom Line

Termites can destroy furniture, floors, wall panels, baseboards and other wooden or cardboard fixtures and surfaces in your home. Therefore, you must hire pest control professionals in Australia immediately when there is a significant infestation. Additionally, stop termites from spreading in your home by using the above-mentioned prevention methods.

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