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Termite prevention is essential for any home or business to protect their property. With 1 in every 3 properties affected by Termites and the high cost of repairs it is worthwhile putting control and protection in place.

How to Stop Termites?

The biggest question is "how to stop termites" with Termites having the most highly organized infrastructure and working 24/7 there is no real quick way. Termites can have half a million to a million termites in a single colony! They can tunnel to find food and can build subnests under the ground or where you can't see them. Any buildings within a radius of 50 m from a nest are at risk of a termite infestation. The best way to stop termites is prevention.

Termite Prevention DIY

These are simple Termite Prevention DIY that will help reduce the amount of Termite susceptible materials and moisture around your house and yard.

1. Remove any loose timbers

Any timber within ground contact has the potential to become food for termites. Especially untreated timber, this means offcuts of construction material, branches from cleared trees, firewood stacked on the ground .or logs that have been mulched for gardens.

2. Retaining Walls and Fences
Whenever possible, use non-susceptible materials such as formed concrete materials for retaining walls and metal support posts for timber fencing, remember any timber in ground contact is a potential food source and possible nest sites for Termites.

“Structures including retaining walls should be constructed using termite resistant components thus minimising the potential for termites to establish nests.”

3. Trees and Stumps
Unfortunately these are the prime sites for subterranean termite nests. This does not mean you should run out and cut every tree down; there are trees that are naturally resistant to termites. But you should be aware that large stumps and their root systems pose the greatest threat and should be removed when ever possible. Termites feed on the dead timber not the living part of the tree, so in the event that a tree dies or a stump remains after clearing, the termites do what nature designed them to do, they are the forests recyclers. They will use the stump as a food source, or a nest sight.

4. Landscaping Timbers
They may look attractive in gardens but they are attractive to termites as well. Even old driftwood can still feed a hungry termite.

5. Gardens
When deciding on a garden the most important thing, aside from the plants, is the position and the construction of these garden areas. Termites can use moist areas to their advantage, so a garden (which is watered most days of the week) abutting the external walls of a house or a garden flanked by large timber sleepers is asking for trouble. The preferred option is to have the gardens away from the house in the yard and preferably concrete should be used for garden edging.

6. Slab Edge Exposure
A very important factor to remember is that termites usually, will enter homes underground where the Brickwork meets the Slab or through a Weep hole that has been covered, so it is good practice to leave the slab edge and weep holes exposed for inspection and not cover them with soil for gardens.

“the purpose of slab edge exposure is to provide an inspection zone for detection of termite ingress”

7. Mulches and Bark
Termites will forage on any product that has cellulose content, this means products from trees or products made from trees. You can retain moisture just as effectively in your gardens by using non-conducive products such as pebbles or river rock

8. Watering Systems and Moisture

Experts agree that all other conditions conducive to Termite activity put aside, it is moisture that is the most contributing factor when a house has been attacked by Termites. You must be aware that even little drips of water are enough to sustain the termites. Moist areas are most commonly attributed to hot water system overflows, faulty plumbing, watering systems, guttering, moist subfloor areas, or greenhouse areas where moss has appeared. These moist areas must be monitored and investigated further.

“The building owner should ensure that the ground levels around the building are maintained in such a way to minimize water entering under the building. Where necessary, sub-surface drains should be installed and maintained to assist with drainage around the building”

By incorporating these ideas into your plans for your garden you will help make your house and yard less attractive to termites.