Are New Houses Susceptible to Termites? Home Remodel & Landscaping

Oct

Are New Houses Susceptible to Termites?

admin Home Improvement Reviews 2011-10-31

How old does a house have to be before you need to start worrying about termites? Do they prefer new houses or old ones? What is the best way to go about protecting your new home from termite infestations?

The answer to the first question is that you should really start to think about termites before you even build. It’s possible to put preventative termite measures into place while building—using wood, for instance, that’s been treated to be termite resistant, or getting a termite barrier put around your foundation. The initial cost of these added measures is much less than the cost of repairing termite damage later on.

Secondly, termites definitely get excited over a new house. They prefer new wood to old wood. They will go to work very enthusiastically on your home, just as quickly as they can find it. That means that within about five years you need to start watching for signs of termites or getting it inspected by a professional termite inspector.

Before you purchase a new house, or before you purchase land to build your house on, check the area for termites who might be living in old trees or other wood. If you find them, you should take measures to get them wiped out before you chose to build your house next door. When building, employ termite prevention methods. After the house is built, you can have it treated by a service that will spray a chemical barrier around the house to prevent termites getting in. These barriers are only as good as their application, so follow your guy around and make sure that he’s thorough. Get it renewed every five years at least.

Find a reliable infestation control provider by searching online, or in your local yellow pages. You will have a long relationship, so make sure you’re happy with them.

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