What Not To Do When Dealing With Termites Around Your San Jose Property

Termites present a serious threat to properties in San Jose. These insects feed on wood and are able to damage a home for years without being detected. Their incredible ability to be sneaky is what creates the greatest challenge for homeowners who attempt to take care of termite control themselves. When treatments or methods fail to eliminate and control termites, these insects are allowed to continue to damage property for years. If your home is your nest egg, and you plan to leverage the value of your home to provide security for you and your spouse during your retirement years, termites can threaten that plan. Let's take a look at a few ways DIY termite control can fail and discuss some tried-and-true methods.

Don't Use Sprays

There are many mixtures that you can create to kill termites. A simple mix of vinegar and water is enough to get the job done. But does it get the whole job done? Not even close. While spraying termites with vinegar and water can dry them out and kill them, this spray treatment has a few problems. First, if it is sprayed on a surface, it is going to do little or nothing to kill a termite that walks across it, especially after the spray has dried. Termites need to get enough of it on them to dry out. Second, termites live and work inside the wood they feed on. They rarely come out into the open air. Since sprays are topical, even chemical sprays aren't going to have any real success at killing termites. Lastly, a spray treatment can make you think you've gotten rid of termites, when you haven't. You can spray termites, kill a few, and not see any termite activity in the area after you're done. But this doesn't mean you've eliminated the colony. Termite workers groom each other frequently and inspect for dangerous chemicals. They also take note of the dead. These behaviors help them avoid dangerous areas where chemicals have been sprayed.

Don't Use Home Remedies

One of the worst suggestions we've seen on the internet is the idea that putting down wet cardboard can help you collect and exterminate termites from your yard. While you will collect some workers, and throwing that cardboard in a fire will certainly kill them, it will not protect your home from damage. Termite workers don't feed on one food source at a time. While workers are eating that wet cardboard, they're also eating the wooden borders around your landscaping, the wood in your fence, the wood in your shed, and the wood in your home. All that wet cardboard is going to do is send a message to the queen that there is an ideal food source in the area. This will inspire her to create more workers. It can also attract another colony into your yard. Worker termites can travel more than a hundred feet in search of food. Your goal should be to get rid of food sources in your yard, not increase them.

Don't Trust Even The Most Trusted Products

This one might confuse you. We're not saying that trusted products don't work. The problem is that there are many ways they can be improperly applied. You can fail to use the right amount. You can fail to get the product deep enough. You can fail to get it all the way around your home to create a complete barrier. If they're applied incorrectly, and they fail to get the job done, sneaky termites will continue to damage your property. Professionals are trained and certified to ensure the success of these products. On top of this, a professional will perform routine inspections to detect termites or signs of termite activity to make sure the products are working.

DIY Termites Tips That Work

• Address any wood-to-soil contact on your home or other structures on your property.
• Elevate stacks of wood, construction materials, and other wood sources. Get them up off the ground.
• Never bury wood in your yard.
• Remove stumps, logs, and other organic wood sources.
• Reduce moisture around your home.

San Jose Termite Control

The best way to protect your property and safeguard the investment you've made in your retirement is to contact Bay Pest for professional termite control. We take the guesswork and worry out of termite damage prevention. Reach out to us today to schedule service or to learn more. We're here to help.