In April 2011, wood-eating termites were blamed for consuming more than $220,000 worth of Indian rupee notes. Yes, they literally ate money!
That fact is exactly why Everett Milberger Pest Control has decided that April and May are Overland Park, Kansas Termite Control months. (Actually, every month should be Termite Control month but we will discuss that in a minute) The weather is improving and we humans go outside to plant flowers, weed the yard, rake leaves, and trim branches and hedges – so why not get a termite inspection?
Termites are tiny hidden destroyers. All year long (why every month is Termite Control month) they live in trees, the foundation beams of your home, leaf piles, underground, and anywhere they can feast at will. Once termites have entered a building, they do not limit themselves to wood; they also damage paper, cloth, and carpets. They hide, which means that if you don’t look for them you won’t know they are there until the damage is already done. So, if you haven’t had an inspection in a while or done any kind of regular termite control, your Overland Park, Kansas home could literally be consumed from the inside out.
Here is what you can do right now to protect your home:
- Don’t stack wood near your home -Avoid contact of susceptible timber with the ground. Use termite-resistant concrete, steel, or masonry as a foundations and barrier.
- Create chemical barriers – you can poison the soil around your home but this is not advised for areas trafficked by pets and children and some over the counter pesticides are just not as potent as they need to be to create a lasting barrier.
- Build with termite resistant timber – Syncarpia glomulifera (turpentine tree), Tectona grandis (teak), Callitris glaucophylla (white cypress), or Sequoias are good choices. No tree species is 100% resistant but the ones we’ve listed seem to decrease the termite’s attraction for the structure.
- Destroy the colony – spraying in/outside your Overland Park, Kansas home with insecticides does not remove an infestation. You must access and fix the problems at its source. We suggest getting professional help to minimize further structural damage.
- Hire a professional – termite control takes time. A full inspection will tell you where the termites are feasting and a trained professional will work with you to eliminate the infestation.