Roofing and Plumbing Leaks Attract Termites

Termite Prevention

Termites do millions of dollars of damage to homes and businesses, so you should do everything in your power to prevent a termite infestation in your home. If you know that termites feed on cellulose, you are probably aware that you don’t just need to keep loose wood out of harm’s way, storing firewood off the ground and away from the house, but that you also need to avoid storing paper and cardboard in crawlspaces and other places where termites can access them. What you may not realize, though, is that part of keeping termites away is fixing roof leaks and plumbing leaks. Why? Let’s take a look at termite behavior, and how moisture can attract these pests.

Termite Attraction to Water

Of course, moisture damage in your home should be repaired as quickly as possible, to avoid the growth of mold and mildew, as well as rotting the wood that forms the structure of your home. But why would moisture lead to a termite infestation? It’s simple, really: living things need water. Termites are no different, and for dampwood and subterranean termites, water is particularly important. These termites are very delicate and need high levels of moisture and humidity to thrive. While dampwood termites can live on the wood moisture content from saturated and rotting wood, subterranean termites need a damp environment to survive. That’s why they build mud tubes to get from their nests to the house so that they can have a sheltered, humid environment in which to travel.

How Preventive Maintenance Keeps Termites Away

In addressing termite prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discusses the role of waterproofing in preventing an infestation. Underscoring the termite’s attraction to moisture and humidity, the EPA explains that, post-construction, the soil around the foundation needs to be kept dry through proper grading and drainage. Openings that offer access to termites should be sealed, and leaks should be fixed immediately. Another thing on the EPA’s list, though, is inclement weather. Pests, including subterranean termites, roaches, and ants, are likely to swarm in a home during wet weather, so it’s important to get rid of any residual moisture immediately.

Understanding Termites

The two primary types of termites that invade homes are drywood, and subterranean. Drywood termites make their homes within the wood they’re consuming, while subterranean termites, as their name implies, live underground. Drywood termites don’t need a ready source of moisture, as they can metabolize moisture from the wood they consume, even though that wood is dry. Subterranean colonies are often very large, and they travel to the wood they are destroying and back to their colonies through mud tubes. As mentioned, these tubes help them move safely, because they protect against dehydration. They need moist soil, and they infest wood that is in contact with the ground or when they can smell or sense moisture from leaks, which also attract them to your home. Sometimes, homeowners accidentally bring termites inside their homes in firewood or untreated lumber. Additionally, what some homeowners may not realize is that mulch and overgrown shrubs that are too close to the house can also invite termite activity. It is very important to be proactive about termite prevention, particularly because homeowner’s insurance typically doesn’t cover damage caused by a termite infestation.

Minimizing Your Termite Risk

Working with termite control professionals is the best way to reduce your risk of an infestation. However, there are also many steps you can take, as a homeowner, to protect your home.

• First, check for leaks. Look under the bathroom and kitchen sinks, under the refrigerator, around under-sink traps and the garbage disposal, and near the waterline of the washing machine, dishwasher, and freezer. Check for cracks, loose joints, and incorrectly installed fittings that can result in leaks. Have regular plumbing inspections from a professional, to keep your plumbing in good repair.
• Make sure that you don’t have standing water under or around your home. Watch for pooling water after rain, and check your sprinkler or irrigation system outside for leaks and loose fittings. Maintain your outdoor plumbing, just as you maintain your indoor plumbing. Keep your gutters and downspouts clean and in good condition, and make sure your property has adequate drainage.
• Do necessary repairs quickly. Seal cracks, repair leaks, fix your roof, and keep your home in good condition, to avoid creating a hospitable environment for termites.
• Keep wood away from your house. Trim bushes and trees away from the house, don’t allow wooden mulch to touch the house, and don’t store wood in a way that causes it to come into contact with the ground or your house.
• Stay up to date with termite inspections. An annual termite inspection helps ensure that an infestation doesn’t take root in your home. Your termite control company can provide preventative treatments, to keep termites out of your home.

Contact MightyMite Termite Services for Help

Preventive maintenance can go a long way in preventing termite infestation, but it is now always 100 percent effective. If you’ve seen evidence of termite activity on your property, it’s time to call the termite control professionals at MightyMite Termite Services. At MightyMite, we’ve earned a reputation as experts in California termite control. We perform termite inspections to ensure that your home is free of termites and work hard to help you keep it that way, 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.” That, combined with our experience and highly trained, licensed and professional staff, 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. For more information, email Info@mightymitetermite.com, call us today at 408.335.7053, or contact us through our website.