The kitchen is the heart of the home, so it’s essential to protect it from termites. Have you done all you can to protect it from termites? You can always call in an expert to inspect your kitchen and tell you how to keep it termite-free. However, if you are remodeling the kitchen or building a new house, you have a rare opportunity. You can construct a kitchen that’s termite-resistant from the very start.

Why is it essential to protect your kitchen from termites? While they won’t go after your snacks or crumbs, termites can make a meal of your house. Each year termites cause serious damage to about 600,000 homes in the United States, and homeowners spend about $5 billion on termite control and repairs. What are they looking for in your kitchen? For one thing, you probably have plenty of wood in your kitchen, not just in the structural parts shared with the rest of the house, but also in the cabinets. Termites also need water, which is readily available in a kitchen. So, what can you do to make a kitchen resistant to termites?

First, implement termite control before you start. Termites are small, and they work silently. The best way to keep them from destroying your property is to keep them out of it altogether. If you’re remodeling your kitchen or building a new house, call a professional at the beginning of the project. The right termite company will inspect the area for termites, determine whether there is any existing damage that needs to be treated, and employ preventative measures to keep termites out of your house.
Choose termite-resistant woods. Termites eat wood, yes, but it’s actually that they eat the cellulose of plants. Natural wood, therefore, is an appealing option, whereas engineered or processed wood is less likely to be eaten. That’s because processed or engineered wood typically has chemical resins that make it difficult for termites to eat. Note: there’s no guarantee that termites won’t eat your cabinets if they’re made of engineered wood, but it dramatically decreases the risk. There are some natural woods that termites don’t like to eat, like cedar, chestnut, black cherry, black walnut, honey mesquite, and redwood. White oak and chestnut oak also resist termites well. If you’re more interested in using natural wood than engineered wood in your kitchen, make sure you use the heartwood grade of lumber.
Another option is to treat the wood you’re using chemically. You can either treat the lumber yourself or have someone do it, but this is one way to get around using engineered or composite wood. One of the most common chemical treatments to prevent termites is a borate solution. Depending on the solution you choose, you may be able to apply it to the wood with a paintbrush or a garden hose adaptor.
Design your kitchen to be sunny. Letting plenty of sunlight stream into your kitchen is one way to help protect it against termites, so if you’re designing a kitchen, make sure to work in plenty of windows.
Keep pipes clean and in good repair. One of the biggest keys to preventing any termite infestation is to keep things scrupulously clean. Regularly flush out your water supply and drainage pipes to keep termites from getting comfortable. If a pipe is leaking, fix it immediately to avoid giving termites a ready supply of water.
Be alert for signs of infestation. Termites can be sneaky, but if you keep a close eye on things, you can often spot some signs of their presence. Wood dust, pellets that look like pepper, and discarded wings, pinholes in the wall, spots in the floor that seem squeaky, warped, or loose, and hollow-sounding wood are all signs that termites have invaded your home.
Consider some home remedies. Treatments like borax and orange oil can be successful, as long as you’re careful to follow all instructions strictly and use proper safety practices. Some of the home treatments for termites can be flammable or poisonous, so it’s good to exercise caution. The best thing you can do, as a homeowner, to prevent a termite infestation is to develop good habits that will keep termites away. Don’t store wood against your house, trim your vegetation, keep mulch away from the foundation, clean out your gutters, and make repairs as quickly as possible. Your local termite expert can give you more tips to keep your home safe.
Partner with a professional. The best thing you can do to handle termites is to enlist the help of a professional who knows how to keep them from damaging your home. Regular inspections are an essential part of prevention. During your initial inspection, your technician can talk to you about preventative measures to stop a termite invasion before it starts. If you have trouble with termites, seeking professional help is the best way to eradicate these termites so that you can repair your home and establish a preventative routine.

If it’s time for a termite inspection, it’s time to call MightyMite. At MightyMite Termite Services, we perform termite inspections to ensure that your home is free of termites. We also work hard to help you keep your home safe from termites, using treatments that are naturally derived and have a low impact on the environment. We diagnose and treat infestations with the most effective methods and unmatched warranties, solving your termite problems the first time, with an industry-best “no call-back rate.” Combined with our experience, technology, and highly trained professional staff, that makes us the leading extermination company in the Bay Area. We understand that your home is your most important investment, so we work hard to provide excellent service, utilizing best practices to solve our customers’ termite problems in Northern California. For more information, call us today at 408.335.7053, email Info@mightymitetermite.com, or contact us through our website.