Non-Chemical Methods Of Termite Treatment To Consider

Termites are a terrible insect. Once they infest a home and begin chewing through the wood in the structure, they can cause substantial damage in a short period of time. If you find that your home has termites, a pest control company will generally recommend using chemical insecticides as this provides the best means of getting them under control quickly. However, there are also some non-chemical measures you can employ, either in conjunction with the pesticides or as a follow-up to help keep the termites at-bay.

Nematodes

Nematodes are a type of worm. Your pest control company may wish to introduce some of them to the soil around the base of your structure. As they grow, they will feed on the termite larvae, helping to keep the populations of termites under control. Nematodes also help aerate the soil as they move through it and create tunnels. Since termites prefer to be in more secluded, less aerated areas, this makes the soil around your building less appealing to them. These nematodes are harmless to your building as they won't feed on wood like termites do. 

Metal Barrier

Another option, and one that works well when you have a lot of wood near the foundation of your home, is to simply have sheets of metal placed between the wood and the soil. You will need to have a landscaping company dig down and expose some of the home's foundation to do this, which makes it a pretty big project — but it's effective if termites are really common in the soil in your area and treating your home itself is not effective at eliminating them. You can plant some extra bushes or put up a trellis around the base of the home to hide any metal that is peeking up. Sometimes metal mesh is used; as long as the mesh is fine enough, it will exclude termites without preventing the foundation structure from breathing.

Drainage Systems

Termites tend to prefer moist wood, so drying out the wood in your home will help fend off the bugs. Your pest control company may want to collaborate with a landscaping company to make changes that encourage your yard to drain better. They can put in longer gutter downspouts, dig additional ditches, or even install some drain tile in your yard to keep water from pooling near the foundation or entering the basement.

Although pesticides are a good first line of defense when termites invade, these non-chemical methods work well for some extra protection.

For more information about residential termite treatment, contact a pest control service in your area.