Keep termites away
Dec 10, 2010
A home is always a beautiful place to live in, especially without the infestation of a destructive group of insects known as termites. The beauty of a well maintained garden is always a spectacle to behold without the presence of anthills that usually spring up.
BY ANTHONY OLWOCH
A home is always a beautiful place to live in, especially without the infestation of a destructive group of insects known as termites. The beauty of a well maintained garden is always a spectacle to behold without the presence of anthills that usually spring up.
The severe damage that termites cause to building structures, most especially wood, can put a great strain on one’s pockets when it comes to meeting the costs of repairs. When termites infest your home, they have the potential of destroying the foundation of the house, sometimes unknown to you since they wreck their havoc underground.
Because of their destructive nature, it is important to guard the home from them. Ronald Kayongo of Rid-pest Fumigation Services says inspecting the home frequently is the best defence against termites because it helps one find the best way to stop them from penetrating the home.
Get rid of their food
Termites feed on decomposed organic matter like wood, paper, and anything that is lifeless. Just like other animals, they exist in areas where their food is readily available. Therefore, in order to eradicate termites or prevent them from infesting your home, it is advisable to avoid making your home a store for their food. To be safe, do not stack timber, firewood and paper materials close to your house. Dry tree stumps or any rotten wood should be removed completely from your compound or burned.
Guard against moisture
To guard against termite infestation, preventing moisture accumulation around the home is critical. This is because termites are normally drawn to moist or damp areas of the house or compound. To prevent accumulation of moisture, make sure your gutters are in good shape to carry rain water away from your foundation. Maintaining proper ventilation or repairing leaks in the house are some of the ways you can prevent humid conditions. Incase you must use water sprinklers to water your garden, make sure they do not soak the side of your house.
Take care when building
Benjamin Bongomin, an engineer with BBE Technical Services in Mutungo, says if gutters are lacking in areas where the soil is loose, settlement or uneven movement of the foundation occurs which results into cracks that make it easier for termites to gain access.
Putting in place physical barriers is another effective way of preventing termites from making their way onto the foundation or other parts of your house. The physical barriers serve the purpose of preventing contact between the house and soil or other areas where termites could possibly dwell.
“When building the foundation, the spaces in between the hardcore stones must be filled with aggregates to seal the smaller holes before casting is done. A polythene sheet also needs to be laid in order to prevent dampness in the house and keep termites from making their way into the houseâ€
Bongomin says the floor level should be raised about six inches above the ground in order to prevent termites from getting through some weak areas that may develop over the years in the walls.
When walls get in contact with the soil, it increases the risk of termites penetrating into the house. Other physical barriers that can be installed are mesh steels that are perfect for homes built on concrete slab. People should also avoid cutting through the concrete to fix door frames. Instead, anchors should be used to hold doors firmly.
Experts say building homes with materials like special lumbers that are treated with chemicals that are resistant to termites is a good remedy. Though expensive, steel studs can be used for framing.
Chemical barriers
Kayongo says chemicals that come in different forms like dusts, foams, or liquids can be effective in keeping away termites. There are chemical barriers that can be sprayed onto the foundation slab or other structures that may be susceptible to infestation.
“Spraying the surface of the core-blinding with chemicals is an effective way of preventing termites from penetrating through the foundation,†says Bongomin.
“Chemicals barriers do not protect the home for eternity. On average, they may protect your home for about five to 10 years depending on the type of chemical. Some chemicals are effective in eradicating termites when sprayed on areas of infestation. However, if this is your only method of protection, you need to plan for re-treatment at a given time,†adds Kayongo.
Strategic landscaping is another method of guarding your home against termites. Planting trees a good distance from your house helps prevent the destruction of barriers by growth of their root system.
At some point, you may have to hire a professional to repair certain damaged areas of the house to guard against re-infestation.
A home is always a beautiful place to live in, especially without the infestation of a destructive group of insects known as termites. The beauty of a well maintained garden is always a spectacle to behold without the presence of anthills that usually spring up.
The severe damage that termites cause to building structures, most especially wood, can put a great strain on one’s pockets when it comes to meeting the costs of repairs. When termites infest your home, they have the potential of destroying the foundation of the house, sometimes unknown to you since they wreck their havoc underground.
Because of their destructive nature, it is important to guard the home from them. Ronald Kayongo of Rid-pest Fumigation Services says inspecting the home frequently is the best defence against termites because it helps one find the best way to stop them from penetrating the home.
Get rid of their food
Termites feed on decomposed organic matter like wood, paper, and anything that is lifeless. Just like other animals, they exist in areas where their food is readily available. Therefore, in order to eradicate termites or prevent them from infesting your home, it is advisable to avoid making your home a store for their food. To be safe, do not stack timber, firewood and paper materials close to your house. Dry tree stumps or any rotten wood should be removed completely from your compound or burned.
Guard against moisture
To guard against termite infestation, preventing moisture accumulation around the home is critical. This is because termites are normally drawn to moist or damp areas of the house or compound. To prevent accumulation of moisture, make sure your gutters are in good shape to carry rain water away from your foundation. Maintaining proper ventilation or repairing leaks in the house are some of the ways you can prevent humid conditions. Incase you must use water sprinklers to water your garden, make sure they do not soak the side of your house.
Take care when building
Benjamin Bongomin, an engineer with BBE Technical Services in Mutungo, says if gutters are lacking in areas where the soil is loose, settlement or uneven movement of the foundation occurs which results into cracks that make it easier for termites to gain access.
Putting in place physical barriers is another effective way of preventing termites from making their way onto the foundation or other parts of your house. The physical barriers serve the purpose of preventing contact between the house and soil or other areas where termites could possibly dwell.
“When building the foundation, the spaces in between the hardcore stones must be filled with aggregates to seal the smaller holes before casting is done. A polythene sheet also needs to be laid in order to prevent dampness in the house and keep termites from making their way into the houseâ€
Bongomin says the floor level should be raised about six inches above the ground in order to prevent termites from getting through some weak areas that may develop over the years in the walls.
When walls get in contact with the soil, it increases the risk of termites penetrating into the house. Other physical barriers that can be installed are mesh steels that are perfect for homes built on concrete slab. People should also avoid cutting through the concrete to fix door frames. Instead, anchors should be used to hold doors firmly.
Experts say building homes with materials like special lumbers that are treated with chemicals that are resistant to termites is a good remedy. Though expensive, steel studs can be used for framing.
Chemical barriers
Kayongo says chemicals that come in different forms like dusts, foams, or liquids can be effective in keeping away termites. There are chemical barriers that can be sprayed onto the foundation slab or other structures that may be susceptible to infestation.
“Spraying the surface of the core-blinding with chemicals is an effective way of preventing termites from penetrating through the foundation,†says Bongomin.
“Chemicals barriers do not protect the home for eternity. On average, they may protect your home for about five to 10 years depending on the type of chemical. Some chemicals are effective in eradicating termites when sprayed on areas of infestation. However, if this is your only method of protection, you need to plan for re-treatment at a given time,†adds Kayongo.
Strategic landscaping is another method of guarding your home against termites. Planting trees a good distance from your house helps prevent the destruction of barriers by growth of their root system.
At some point, you may have to hire a professional to repair certain damaged areas of the house to guard against re-infestation.