Termites are one of the most destructive pests in the world, and getting rid of them is vitally important if you want to protect the value and structural integrity of your home. However because of their reclusive nature and their huge colonies, they can be really hard to eradicate.

This quick guide will tell you how to get rid of termites so that you won’t have to worry about them eating your home from the inside out.

Know the signs of a termite problem

This is probably one of the more important things to keep in mind when it comes to the topic of termites. Because the signs of their presence are not always readily apparent to the untrained eye, it is easy to miss the early part of an infestation before any damage occurs. Two of the main signs of trouble are raised tunnels of dirt that lead to and from the house, usually located around the base of the structure, as well as the presence of a fine sawdust like substance that indicates the ingestion and digestion of wood by these insects. Should you see either of these signs, you should immediately start preparing to fight these bugs before they cause any further damage to your home.

Locate the source of the infestation

Because they are highly social insects termites are almost never found far away from their main colony. This means that the queen, who is the most important member of the colony, is likely to be close to your home. If you can locate the colony itself you should be prepared to attack it in an attempt to kill the queen. However this is rarely the case, as the colonies are generally hidden deep underground and out of sight. Another option is to purchase a termite bait that will poison not only the bugs that are in your home, but also will be slow acting enough to be taken back to the colony and poison the other workers and the queen. This will lead to much greater overall control of the problem over the long term.

Treat deep into the house

A termite problem hardly ends at the exterior of the house although it is likely to begin there. To truly get to the root of the problem you are going to have to get deep into the house and apply termite treatment to eradicate every single insect. One great product for this is termite foam, which will fill all the nooks and crannies that might be harboring termites.

Look for and repair damage

Once the problem is found, there is a strong likelihood that at least some damage has already occurred. Luckily if you find the infestation early you can ameliorate the worst of the problem. It’s up to you whether you repair the damage yourself or call a termite control professional, but the fact of the matter is that you need to take care of it right after you’ve eliminated the bugs, or else it might get worse over time and end up being more costly to repair.

Consider preventative measures

Dealing with a current infestation requires the methods already mentioned however there are several treatments you can use to prevent the problem from reoccurring, or from occurring in the first place if you’re fortunate enough to not be dealing with an infestation. The best preventative treatment for termites is borate, which can treat almost any type of wood as long as it is porous and previously un-stained or varnished. This product acts by keeping any termites that eat it from being able to digest the wood, leading to their death. It is colorless and will have no effect on the structure of the wood itself, other than offering protection from these destructive pests. If termites is known to have affected homes in your neighborhood, a professional HOA pest control company may be able to help control and even prevent further infestations.

To learn more about termite control and all other pest control methods. Visit Do My Own Pest Control at http:www.domyownpestcontrol.com