If you’ve ever had an infestation in your home, you know how frustrating it can be. Pests can cause expensive damage, leave droppings that can be health threats, and overall just make you feel uncomfortable sharing a home with them.
Many homeowners think that colder weather means you don’t have to worry about pests as much, but that’s not always true. While they may be less active during Winter, pests are more motivated to seek shelter – which is usually at your expense.
Why Winter is Still Dangerous for Termite Infestations
In most cases, cold weather is the natural enemy of many bugs and other pests you may have to worry about in an Australian winter. However, just because the outdoor conditions aren’t ideal for them doesn’t mean they can’t still cause a problem.
Termites need food, water, and warmth to survive. In Winter, it can be hard to find warmth on the surface, so termites look elsewhere for habitable conditions. If there is no immediate shelter for them, they burrow into the ground to find warmer soil that hasn’t been cooled down by the weather. But, if there is a crack in your foundation, a hole in your exterior, or any other path for the termites to find shelter, they will seize the opportunity.
Once they are inside a habitable area, they will begin to eat and reproduce, creating more termites to cause damage to your property. Over time, they can erode foundations, eat into support beams, eat through exterior walls, get into furniture, and more. All of these damages can cause expensive and serious problems for homeowners
Preventative Termite Management Strategies
Patch Holes and Replace Weatherstripping
Termites will look for any opening into your home. If there are holes or gaps in the weatherstripping that allow them easier access, they are going to be more likely to make your home their own.
By patching holes, you make it harder for termites to find shelter in your walls or foundation, slowing down or preventing them from creating an infestation. These repairs should also happen for any basements or sub-ground level areas due to termites’ ability to burrow to find shelter.
Avoid Keeping Exposed Wood Nearby
A good preventative measure to take for your home is to avoid enticing termites to your home in the first place. If you’re storing firewood or have wooden equipment, keep it away from your home to help keep potential infestations isolated.
Have A Termite Inspection
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so if you want to avoid an infestation, a professional termite inspection in spring may be your best bet. Your inspector can identify any risks and help to address them with preventative physical and chemical treatments, and if you have an infestation beginning, they can stop it before it’s too late.
Protect Your Home This Winter with Termite Management
Termites can pose health and safety risks to your family, so preventing infestations even during the winter is important. Whether you’re just trying to keep your home termite-free or need to clear out an infestation permanently, consider working with a termite management company. Through physical and chemical treatments, they can help to termite-proof your home and stop the termites before they cause serious damage.