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How Termites Get Into Your House

Most people know the dangers of a termite infestation. However, many people still wonder how termites get into a house in the first place.

We’re going to explore the many ways termites can enter your home.

Piles of wood

Piles of lumber or firewood can attract termites. If these piles of wood are close to your home, a termite can easily travel from a piece of wood to your home.

Without food, termites cannot travel too far. Make sure to keep piles of wood away from your house, or stored safely somewhere termites cannot get to.

how termites get into a house - piles of wood

Dead trees and foliage

Termites love dead and decaying trees because they are easier for the termites to chew through.

Leaving dead trees in your yard is a sure-fire way to invite termites into your home. This applies to stumps as well. You should remove any dead trees or stumps from your yard as soon as possible.

how termites get into a house - dead trees

Tree branches

Even living trees pose a risk of housing termites.

This is because termites go from tree branches to anything that the branch is touching. If you have a tree that has branches touching your roof, termites will move from the branch to your roof and then go into your home.

Keep trimming branches and leaves so that no extremities touch your home.

Clogged gutters

When your gutters become clogged and overflow with rainwater, this can dampen your roof and cause it to rot.

This rot attracts termites and gives them a point of weakness they can chew into.

Keeping your gutters unclogged allows for water to travel through pipes easily and not damage your roof.

clogged gutters

Cracks in concrete

Termites cannot eat through concrete. However, they are small enough to be able to fit into small cracks and holes in concrete.

Termites find tiny cracks in concrete foundations, brick mortar, or concrete blocks and travel through them into your home.

cracking in houses

Around air conditioning units

Termites thrive on moisture. Air conditioning units create a lot of run-off moisture. As such, termites are attracted to this moisture and create colonies nearby.

Where possible, keep your air conditioning unit off the ground.

how termites get into a house - outdoor air con

The house frame

It is well known that if your house has a wooden frame, termites can eat away at it and erode the structural integrity of your house over time.

However, even if your house has a metal frame, it will not be termite-proof. Termites can travel up through the metal frame and eat other wooden parts of the house.

What to do?

If you think you might have termites, contact an expert immediately. Do not try and handle the problem yourself. Likewise, if you see termites in your home, don't disturb them!

Dedant Building and Pest Inspections do inspections, spot treatments and chemical barriers all to a high standard at an affordable price.

Call Dedant on 07 3807 0122 or contact them on their website.

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