Are you inviting termites into your home?

Termite swarm season is upon us!! Did you know that recent flooding in the Florida PanHandle can have an adverse effect on termite bait systems? Typically once bait material becomes saturated it becomes ineffective. This can also affect the monitoring systems that pest control companies use to watch this. If treated soil around a structure is washed away or covered by large deposits of silt, sludge or muddy soil, the barrier may no longer be there or be effective. It may be necessary to apply another treatment. We at Spears Pest Control double check for these issues on our regular checkups but make sure whatever pest control company you use watches for these possible problems. Here is a quick hit list of ways to prevent termites from being invited into your home!!

• Avoid spraying water against the foundation of your house when watering. Termites love moist environments.
• Slope gutters and landscape beds so water drains away from your house.
• Pull back mulch about 12 inches from the foundation in beds adjacent to the house.
• Do not add fill dirt around the foundation or under porches or steps without contacting your termite company for retreatment.
• Do not interrupt the chemical barrier at the base of the slab or around pilings by cutting into with a shovel or sharp object during bed preparation.
• Remove all scrap wood and wooden debris from the landscape promptly. Especially after rough thunderstorms that drop dead branches on your property.
• Did you know wood chips, common in landscaping for mulch beds, next to the house or other structures draw termites in? Based on research pine straw appears to be a natural deterrent to termites.
• Use metal edging, decorative bricks, plastic edging, or border plants to edge your beds. Avoid landscape timbers, railroad ties or other wooden materials that may serve as a meal for termites.
• Ensure you have at least 2-3 inches of space between your house and any deck, fence post or attachment made of wood. Build decks and other structures on concrete pads and treat around the pads and posts.
• Cut back clinging vines, such as English ivy or creeping fig, so they don’t grow on the wall of your house. These are perfect pathways for termites to get up higher on your structure to wooden structures.

We are only a phone call away, contact us or call 850-682-5354 to have our professionals come out and check your home for termites and give you a free estimate for signs of termite damage or water damage to current bait systems. We proudly service the Crestview, Defuniak Springs, Ft. Walton Beach, Destin, Freeport, Milton, and Niceville, FL area as exterminators.