What Causes Termites in House

You all may have witnessed the presence of termites. You may even have seen the damages they have done. But what invites them?

What are the reasons responsible for the termite infestation in your house?

This article will discuss all the possible reasons that are responsible for the presence of termites in your house.

This alone is not enough. It is very important to learn about preventive measures too. So we are going to cover this topic as well.

Let’s begin with the causes.

Causes of Termites in House

Termites infest where they find conditions suitable for them. Moisture is one of them. But this alone is not the cause of termites in your house. There are many other reasons too. 

The following is the list of causes of a termite infestation.

Moisture

Whether it’s the rainy season or any other season, plenty of moisture is always there. Your yard may have an area where water is getting collected. There can be a leakage problem. 

All these reasons are responsible for the presence of moisture and thus invite termites to your house.

Try to keep your area moisture-free. Plumbing inspection should be done along with the fixing of leakages.

Presence of Wood Around the House

Termites’ diet mainly consists of cellulose. Wood is one of those items which provides cellulose to termites. 

Termites usually create their colony in a place where there are sources of food so it is very likely they will infest your house too if there is wood nearby.

Try to cut out the branches that are coming near your house. Keep the trees away from your house.

Foundation Gaps

The space lying under the concrete foundation is moist and dark. Since termites prefer a dark and moist environment, it is very likely they will nest under the foundation of your house.

In case of any gaps present in the foundation, termites will use them in searching for food. This will take them to your house.

It is better to inspect your foundation periodically and seal all the gaps present there.

Climate

Termites love hot and wet conditions. If you are living in an area that has a climate suitable for termites, then be ready for an infestation in your house.

Let’s take the example of Arizona for a better understanding. It is hot all year and gets wet during the rainy season. Since its climate is favorable for termites, Arizona is prone to termite infestations.

Just like that, any area having a climate favorable to termites is likely to have termite infestations. The homeowners should be ready to deal with them.

In this case, taking preventive measures and being more cautious about the protection of your house is the best possible solution.

How Do Termites Infest Your House?

Termites usually invade in two ways. Either they will come from underground or they fly inside your house in swarms.

Subterranean termites and Formosan termites attack your house from underground. They use mud tubes for this purpose. They rise from the soil and then move upwards towards the roofs.

These can invade houses in swarms too but there is a type of termites that invade houses in swarms only. They are drywood termites.

You may be wondering what a swarm is. Well, swarms are the group of termites that have wings. The practice of flying in groups in search of a new location is known as swarming.

This practice is usually done in spring or whenever the weather is suitable for them. So it advised to protect your windows and doors with screens. Always keep an eye on the bugs flying around your house as you never know when termites are swarming.

How to Deal With Termites?

There are many ways to get rid of termites. Calling a pest control team. Going for tenting methods. But what should be your first response?

What can you do by yourself? The pest control team is not available at all times. Tenting methods take time. 

So what should be done? Well, you can get your termite killers ready. These termite killers are made up of ingredients that are easily available in every household. So whenever you encounter termites, you can use these termite killers and in case it gets finished, it can easily be remade.

Some natural treatments for termites:

• Vinegar– Mix half a cup of it with 2 lemons, and here your termite killer is ready.

• Borax– Either sprinkle it directly or mix it with water. It works both ways.
• Orange oil– It is made up of d-limonene which is deadly to termites.

You can use all these with the help of a spraying bottle. Spray it on the termites or the infected areas.

Preventive Measures

Even if you have treated termites, the job is not done yet. To minimize the chances of future infestations, you have to take some preventive measures.

Here are some preventive measures that should be taken to avoid a termite infestation.

• The fixing of leakages should be done to eliminate the moisture. Leakages make roofs and walls moisture-laden, this results in termite infestations.

• Termites may come from your yard too. So regularly check the yard. There shouldn’t be any collection of water or the presence of firewood (it has a lot of moisture in it).

• Use window screens to avoid the entry of termite swarms. All holes and cracks should be sealed. 

• Have a termite inspection periodically.

Conclusion

Encountering termites is a common thing. We cannot figure out the size of  the infestation just by looking at the number of termites.

It is important to look at the causes and signs of infestation. Causes will help you protect your house from future infestations while signs will help you in choosing a proper termite treatment.

Get your termite killers ready but if there are lots of termites, you better call the pest control team.

Since you have got an idea about what causes termites in your house, try to eliminate them as much as you can.