You might think that you wouldn't have to worry about termites when winter comes. Sadly, that's not the case: subterranean termites often look to homes like yours as a way to escape the cold. Here's what you need to know about this major problem.

Subterranean Termites Can't Survive Cold

In the winter, subterranean termites flee the cold anyway they can. For example, they have been noted to actually dig nearly four feet straight down into the soil to escape the cold. However, if they detect the warmth of your house, they won't hesitate to make their way there.

That said, their activity is likely to be relatively low, which means they'll be able to settle in quite nicely without getting detected. As a result, you may have a major infestation in the summer, one that's out of control. That's why you need to keep them out before winter even begins.

The Damage They Can Do

According to some estimates, subterranean termites damage more homes in the United States than severe storms and fire combined. That is partially due to their size: some colonies can be as large as one million individual members, a number which is frightening if even a tenth of them get into your home. And that number is likely if termites try to use your home as a refuge from the winter.

In a home, they will attack anything they can find made of wood, including furniture, floors, and support beams. They will also attack plants and trees. What is worse is when subterranean termites attack your foundation, which they are liable to do due to their "underground" nature. If they attack the wooded support beams in your foundation, they can cause severe damage that can cause it to shift, sink, and even collapse in areas.

Keeping Them Out Of Your Home

If you want to keep subterranean termites out of your home, exclusion before winter even begins is a good start. Basically, you need to inspect the exterior of your home for holes that would allow in termites and seal them up. This includes cracks in the foundation, poorly sealed vents, drain pipes, garbage shoots, and cracks in windows. Cut a small piece of wire mesh, cover the cracks with it, and nail it in place. Perform this activity in the early days of fall, before snow falls and the temperature drops.

However, if you want something a bit more severe, you can use liquid termiticides to keep them out. Spread a repellent barrier in the soil near potential entry sites to keep them away. You can also treat your soil with non-repellent barriers, that are undetectable by termites and which will kill them once they come into contact with it. This is particularly potent for the burrowing subterranean termite, as it will eat right through the treated soil.

If you have any more questions about subterranean termites and how you can keep them out of your yard, a professional pest control expert, like Bug Busters Inc, can offer you guidance. They are particularly useful if you're struggling to understand how much termiticides to use on your soil.

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