Termite treatment can be expensive this is why if you're able to detect the problem earlier it can in fact save you money. If you suspect that your home may be invaded by termites you'll need to work quickly in order to identify the extent of the problem. These are extremely destructive insects that can cause extensive damage not only to furniture but also to the structure of your home without you knowing. So, by going through a few steps you should be able to identify, remove and then also prevent this from happening again. If you decide to go about termite treatment yourself make sure that you're familiar with the building codes in your city, because some pesticides may not be allowed.

Identifying the problem

Termites are subterranean insects and so they can live in your home for decades without you ever even seeing one. However, there are a few telltale signs of termites living in your home which you can take as evidence that you have a problem. The most common is the swarm, these look like regular winged ants but are in fact flying termites. Another sign is that some of your wood furniture seems to crumble when touched or they may sound hollow when tapped on. You'll also see mud tubes rising from the ground making their way up your wall both on the exterior and interior of your home.

Termite Treatment

Once you have identified a termite infestation you have two options. You can either opt for a professional exterminator to do the job which will cost you quite a bit of money. Hiring an exterminator only makes sense if the infestation is widespread and severe. You can do it at home if you're just dealing with a few termite colonies.

If you've decided to do it yourself, you can either buy over the counter natural bait as well as special bait that is installed in the ground around your home. If it's the wood that looks to have taken the worst hit then there are treatments that can be purchased over the counter for wood. Some experts also recommend spraying termite colonies with kerosene oil and baiting them with a mixture of sawdust and borax. The saw dust is what will attract them while the borax will kill the insects. However, these are not as effective if the infestation is huge.

Preventing termite infestation

Termites require food, shelter and of course dampness to survive. Once you have performed a thorough removal there are a few things you can do to prevent future infestation, this includes:

• Keep all your gutters clean as well as fix any leaks in your water system to prevent an accumulation of dampness.
• Make sure that no wood in your home comes into contact with soil so there should be distance between firewood, wood mulch and planters.
• All wooden furniture needs to be varnished, also varnish the doors and windows in order to prevent external penetration of termites. Maintain the varnish every year to ensure it's still effective.