Did you know the accumulated wood dust under your couch could be a sign of termite infestation? Most homeowners don't take the wood dust seriously because they don't know who's behind it. The wood dust under the couch shows the termites have eaten the underside of your furniture. If you don't inspect your house often, you may not identify the termite colonies early and exterminate them before they ruin your property. Here are some preventive methods you can use to keep termites at bay and prevent how they spread in your home:

Sun-Dry Termite-Laden Items

If termites have infested items such as furniture, cardboard boxes and untreated wood posts, sun-dry them for about three days consecutively. The heat from the sun easily destroys termites, making this strategy more effective in summer. The sun doesn't just kill the termites, but it also dries the furniture, preventing re-infestation. Once the furniture is dry, apply termite spray on it before you return it to the house.

Detect Leaky Pipes and Fix Them

If your plumbing system, roof or gutter is leaking, the moisture-laden wooden parts of your home will begin to decay. When this happens, termites will make your house their home. Leaks, especially those in dingy corners or basements, could cause costly property damage. Inspect such areas more frequently for leaks and seal or fix them to prevent wood decay that attracts termites. Undetected leaks usually cause decayed walls and roofs that eventually host termites.

Minimise Humidity or Moisture Levels at Home

Moisture is among the things that invite termites into most homes. Most pests, including termites, reproduce and thrive in a more humid environment. If you can avoid moist areas in your home, such uninvited guests won't come. If humidity is high in your home area, buying a dehumidifier could help. An efficient air conditioner could also regulate temperatures during summer and help get rid of the excess moisture in the indoor environment.

You could also use termite repellents such as borate on the wood surfaces in your house before you paint or prime them. However, none of these preventive measures can perfectly exterminate termites in your house. If termites have infested your house, consult termite extermination experts to eliminate them instead of trying ways that won't completely fix the problem. Most professional termite exterminators know the spots termites hide, what their larvae look like, how their colonies develop, and their food preferences and lifespan. Termite exterminators don't just focus on the adult termites that you see, but also on the hidden eggs in the ground and tiny crevices. 

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