Unlike many other pests that can be viewed as mere nuisances, termites can actually destroy your property and ruin your home. In fact, these little guys cause up to $5 billion in damages every year to American homeowners. If you suspect you might have a termite infestation, it’s important that you deal with the problem as soon as possible.

Interested in learning more? Continue reading and we’ll walk you through how to get rid of termites in your home.

Determine the Pest

Termites and ants can look very similar to each other. So much so, that termites have often been mistakenly referred to as white ants. However, the methods for getting rid of these insects differ greatly.

Let’s look at the differences between ants and termites.

Ants

When you look at the body of an ant, you’ll see that it’s constricted abdomen and thorax are clearly defined. The rear pair of wings are smaller than the front pair and the front pair is only a bit bigger than the body. Also, the antennae are distinctly shaped like an elbow and the first segment is elongated.

Termites

A termite has a ribbed abdomen and no visible waist. It’s two pairs of wings are filled with veins and the wings are equal in length. The wings are also around twice the size of the body.

When it comes to antennae, they’re relatively short and straight and they don’t have any eyes.

Signs of Termites

You don’t have to know termites are in your home just by seeing them. You can also look for the signs that they leave behind. One major sign of termite presence is mud tubes.

Termites build small structures made of mud that connect a wooden structure to the ground. You should also inspect your house’s wood for signs of decay. You can do this by gently tapping on the wood.

If a solid plank of wood feels hollow, then you may very well have termites present. You should also look for discarded termite wings around your home.

How to Get Rid of Termites

There are several effective methods that you can use in order to get rid of termites. We’ll start with the best DIY ways and then talk about professional methods.

Cardboard Traps

Cardboard is made out of wood fibers. By dampening a piece of cardboard and placing near an area where you believe termites are living, you can attract them to come out. Once the termites come out of hiding and move to the cardboard, you can dispose of them.

This method requires a lot of attention. You don’t simply want to give termites more food before they can scurry away and go back into hiding.

Nematodes

Nematodes are microscopic worms that are essentially parasites to many different kinds of insects, including termites. When a nematode gets into a termite’s digestive system, it releases a bacterium that eventually kills the insect. Putting nematodes into your soil near a termite colony can be an effective way to get rid of termites.

You can purchase these worms online or in stores.

Borax

Borax is a popular way to kill a variety of pests. Boric acid powder has the ability to kill termites by damaging their nervous systems. To make boric paste, you simply need 1 part boric acid powder and 1 part water.

Mix the two substances together and then use a paintbrush to cover the wood surfaces in your home. You can also put the solution in a spray bottle and spray it around your house.

Essential Oils

Substances such as neem oil or orange oil are natural ways of getting rid of termites. These oils are able to stop termites from shedding their shells or laying eggs. And after direct exposure to these substances, the termites die.

It’s important that you drop the oil over infested materials, wood surfaces, and termite nests.

Fumigation

Drywood termites live inside the wood. So treating soil is considered ineffective. And when the damage in your home becomes too much to handle, it’s recommended that you undergo structural fumigation.

Preparation for termite tenting includes shutting off your home’s gas supply and finding a place to stay while your home is fumigated. Once you and your home are prepared, a fumigant will be pumped into your home and seep into the small crevices and cracks in the wood. The termites will breathe in this gas and quickly die.

Once a sufficient amount of gas has been pumped, the tent will be removed and the fumigant will be released into the air. The fumigant’s presence usually leaves a house in around 6 hours. The whole fumigation process takes between one and three days.

After the tent is removed, an expert will walk through the house with a fumigant detection device to make sure that the house is safe enough to reenter.

The Importance of Knowing How to Get Rid of Termites in Your Home

Pest infestations can be extremely frustrating. They can make it uncomfortable to be in your home, plus they can ruin the structure of your house. In order to keep your home safe, it’s important that you know how to get rid of termites.

And then once you suspect termites in the home, you need to act as soon as possible. By doing that, you can keep the damage to a minimum.

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