Have you ever come to a point of asking yourself how to get rid of termites? It would not come as a surprise if you have because termite problems are very rampant in all parts of the world. Termites can cost homeowners serious bucks once they begin to wreck havoc on homes, and worse, these bugs are not going anywhere. They can show up any time of the year, however, termite species that’s always a nuisance to humans most often swarm and flourish during spring, or when the climate is hot and rainy. Under favorable conditions, these pests can easily multiply and soon become very difficult to manage which is what most homeowners who badly need to get rid of termites have experienced firsthand. Protecting your home from these pests could be challenging but putting in an extra effort will always pay off. You have to be very persistent because termites are exactly that.

Termites do not come as a single universal species. In fact, there are over two thousand termite species known to man today. While termite existence is a necessity to the ecosystem, only a small portion of them are causing headaches to millions of homeowners worldwide – the subterranean termites, dampwood termites and drywood termites. Is this a necessary fact? Yes, because in order to know how to get rid of termites, identifying termite species is vital before any termite control and prevention method is used due mainly to different breeding locations. Subterranean termites build their colonies deep underground in soil where there is also enough moisture. Drywood termites do not require soil and moisture and grow their colonies within dry wood which is also their food source. Dampwood termites also nest and create their colonies within their wood resource but unlike drywood termites, they infest on damp or wet wood that often times is already decaying. So if you happen to apply the wrong method on any types of termites, not only will it render ineffective but also a waste of time, energy and money.

Apparently, noticeable termite damage to properties takes years to materialize. This is unfortunate especially when homeowners do not perform regular check up on their properties and hidden damages remain undetected. How to get rid of termites, then? Check your home and look for signs of infestation so you can start getting rid of termites to avoid future significant property damage. Remember that one sure sign of infestation is the presence of their reproductive termites swarming near light bulbs as they are easily attracted to light. Discarded termite wings found usually on window sills and near door frames also suggest termite presence. Mud tubes sticking to your home’s foundation or walls, beams and pillars because these serve as their moisturized highway for subterranean termites to their food source. Hollowed walls and cracked or distorted paints on walls indicate that termites are eating your wood walls inside out. Tiny termite droppings called frass which are commonly found at the base of the infested wood structures are also indicative of termite activity. All these indications will give away termites’ presence in your home and should be addressed to the soonest possible time. Because some signs are difficult to find and hard to notice, some homeowners prefer to have their homes inspected by a professional termite exterminator. If you do not know how to look for signs of termite activity, you can always place a call to you a reputable pest control company and ask for assistance.

There are two common ways on how to get rid of termites on your own which are easily available in the market. One is through the use of liquid termiticide and the other is the use of a bait system. Soil treatment with liquid termiticide is done by digging trenches on the ground near the foundation of your home in order to treat the soil underneath and around the structure. Termites infesting inside the house are treated by digging holes on infested wood furniture, walls or floors and apply liquid termiticide. Using this kind of termite treatment should prompt you to read carefully and follow the instructions on the label to the letter. The bait system is a less invasive way of how to get rid of termites compared to the first one. This system involves digging into the soil around the entire structure and buries termite monitoring stations in specified distance (3-4 feet from the structure and 10-15 feet apart from each station) with wooden bait inside. Each stations must be checked every three months or so and see if there is termite activity on the wooden bait. If there is, replace the wooden bait with chemical cartridge which will kill termites and eventually the entire colony.

Termite extermination process may sound simple enough to do but in fact, it is a very taxing and tricky. Homeowners who knows how to get rid of termites and do it themselves fail to eradicate termites completely either because they failed to follow the instructions or they do not know the key entry points of termites and where to place treatments. This is why it is best to ask professional termite exterminators to do job. The service may be pricey but the results can be rewarding. Also, most termite control companies offer warranted service and follow up inspections at no extra cost.

Termite extermination does not end in a successful termite treatment. Prevention and control must be made in order to avoid possible re-infestation. As a homeowner, you can do this by depriving termites of their means of survival, moisture and wood resource. You can start by avoiding wood-to-soil contact, eliminate moisture in the basement or crawl spaces, seal off all possible termite entry points, check all wooden furniture and fixtures for termites and treat them before getting them inside the house, prune back all plants and bushes away from the exterior wall of your home and fix leaking pipes. All these should be your guide on how to get rid of termites effectively and permanently.