Nightmare Pests - What's Attracting Termites to Your Home?

Homeowners understand the dangers that catastrophes such as hurricanes, blizzards, and tornadoes can cause on a home's structure. They know steps to take to safeguard their property and home in those circumstances. But many homeowners are either unaware or not fully informed about the steps to take to safeguard against one of the more destructive nightmare pests: termites. Read on to find out some of the conditions that may attract termites to your home and how to avoid this situation.

The Statistics:

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Americans spend at least $1 billion on Formosan termite control and repairs each year. The average homeowner with termite damage will spend approximately $3,000 to repair the damage. To combat these stats, it is important to understand the behavior and living conditions that can attract these nightmare pests.

The Attraction:

In order to fully understand termites, homeowners should know what termites are attracted to. Here are some of the conditions termites thrive in�

• Wood and Cellulose Materials - To a termite, it's what's for dinner. Termites feed on lumber, firewood, newspapers, and other cellulose materials. Avoid storing stacks of newspapers in your basement or near the foundation. Also, consider the location of your firewood stack in relation to your foundation. The closer the stack the more likely they will find a way into your home's structure. Inspect the wood structures in your basement annually to be sure there are no hollow spaces or chewed areas.

• Warmth, Darkness, and Moisture - Warm, dark, and moist places are a favorite of termites. Places in your home that may meet these requirements include your basement, crawl spaces, or under sheds or adjoining structures. These are ordinary places where homeowners do not regularly visit, so termites can chew away undisturbed for months, sometimes even years at a time. To avoid this, inspect your creepy places annually to see if you notice any termite tubes or hollowed wood. In addition, you may want to install a moisture barrier so that termites are not attracted to the moisture in the soil under your foundation. Keep things in your basement as dry and clean as possible.

If you suspect you have a termite problem, call Pest-End Exterminators now at 1-800-287-4321, 603-382-9644, or 978-794-4321.