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How Water Can Attract Termites To Your Home
Termites are a concern for homeowners in every state except Alaska. These destructive insects can slowly destroy the structure of a home, eating the very wood it's made of and inflicting serious damage that can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes even requiring the destruction of the structure if the termites are allowed to stay unchecked. While termite eradication can be expensive, a few simple precautions can help prevent this; many of the typical preventive measures involve reducing or eliminating moisture and water near the foundations of the house.

The most common types of termites are the Formosan termite and the Eastern subterranean termite. Formosan termites, found chiefly in the Southern US, are subterranean termites that may nest either in the soil or in the wood of a structure. The brown reproductive termites swarm in the evening during May to July. Colonies of Formosan termites are large, with up to 5 million individuals. Therefore, they destroy wood faster than the Eastern subterranean termite. The more widespread Eastern subterranean termites live in smaller colonies and therefore tend to take longer to inflict damage. During the spring, the reproductives swarm and leave the colony. The reproductives are black and have a thick waist, their antennae are straight and both pairs of wings are the same length. These termites feed on wood, but nest in the soil, constructing mud tubes from their nests to the wood in structures.

Both of these varieties of termites depend on moisture for their sustenance, and build their nests in areas that have abundant moisture for their building and nourishment means. The pencil shaped tubes that they use to climb from the soil into the structure of a house are made of mud and must be kept moist, so eliminating excess moisture is crucial for termite prevention.

The first measure to implement is to remove any direct contact between structural or decorative wood and the ground. Any wood in contact with the earth tends to soak in moisture and become a magnet for the insects. Overhangs, decorative lattice work (typically used under porches and decks, and over the openings to crawl spaces), and support posts should be cut loose from the ground or given some kind of concrete footing, so that wood that has become moist from rain or run off does not attract termites.
Reducing and eliminating the water in the ground directly around the foundation is the next critical step. Putting in a slope to allow water to flow out from the house is crucial; homeowners should also consider the possibility of adding a concrete skirt around the foundation. Gutters and downspouts

 

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