Homeowner Tips

Do not offer any snacks for the termites. Pick up all scrap lumber, fallen limbs, or other nearby debris
Store firewood well away from the house
Clean gutters and downspouts regularly
Keep all exterior woodwork painted
Fill any cracks (termites can crawl through an opening less than 1/64 inch wide)
Keep it dry. Reduce moisture around the foundation and crawlspace. This will deprive termites of water
Cover exposed dirt in the crawl space with 6-mil polyethylene plastic. Overlap each piece by about 2 inches
Keep the crawlspace vents open year-round

Your property is a target!

As the map suggests, in many parts of this country there are only two kinds of buildings; those that have termites, and those that will.

map

North, South, New, Old. Any building is a target for termites. Even those built on slabs are threatened by termites that enter through utility entry points and foundation cracks. In fact, termites are so efficient that no attempts at termite-proof construction have ever been completely successful.

A cold climate is no guarantee either, even as far north as Canada. Termites can still make your property their home. In Chicago, for example, one in 16 buildings are infested. Termites aren't afraid of heights either. They have been found as high as the 25ht floor of a high-rise building in Hawaii. Even those properties surrounded by a traditional termiticide barrier may be in trouble if the barrier is disrupted or breaks down over time.