Best Fort Lauderdale Termite Treatment Tips

As one of the most common pests in Fort Lauderdale, termites love the warmer weather that Florida brings. Throughout the year, they’ll come out of their burrows and search for new sources of food and shelter. This is called a termite swarm.

What do termites look for when they swarm? Wood. Termites are one of the few organisms that can convert cellulose into usable sugars for food. 

But during this swarm, you don’t want termites finding sources of food in your backyard or even in your house. Over time, they can destroy your home’s structure and cause severe damage. 

While it is hard to control pests like termites on your own completely, you can discourage termites from moving in with you by implementing some simple tips.

Here we have the best pest control tips you can use to prevent termites from invading your home in Fort Lauderdale.

How to Keep Firewood Away from Termites

While Fort Lauderdale doesn’t get the cool weather that requires cozy nights by the fire, summer bonfires and campfires still exist, and you may still want to light the fireplace if it gets below 60 to get a winter effect. 

Since termites like to feed on wood, it’s a good idea to be cautious with firewood placement. First, you should always keep your firewood elevated off the ground. Termites nest in soil, so the best move is to keep firewood as far away from it as possible. 

Also, keep the wood from touching your house. The wood can serve as a bridge between the termite nest in soil and your home. 

Tips to Keep Firewood Away From Termites

• Stack the wood 8 to 12 inches high and keep away from your home

• Use the oldest wood first, since it’s the most likely to be infested. Avoid stacking new wood on top of old wood 

• Don’t treat firewood with insecticides - when burned, it can release hazardous fumes

• If you keep it outside, cover the firewood with a tarp to keep it dry 

Do Termites Need Water?

Many people don't realize that termites are drawn to water and need to drink it too. If they discover a good source of water near your house, they will come to drink the water and may find their way inside your house walls.

Keep the termites away from your yard by removing any standing water. Pick up any debris that may hold water, store buckets upside down or put them inside, and clean out your gutters so they don’t hold water. 

Also, repair leaky air conditioning units and any other leaky pipes that are causing water to pool around your home’s foundation, and consider limiting mulch. Mulch retains moisture, which attracts termites, river stones or pebbles may be a better option. 

Keep in mind that stagnant water is also a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so removing it also helps with mosquito control. You can prevent two pests at once with this tip!

How to Keep Termites Out of Trees and Bushes

Termites like dampwood termites will climb bushes and trees to feed on the wood. But if these bushes are up against your house, they can hide the view of termite evidence like mud tubes. 

You don’t want your landscaping to be a termite bridge, so trim any bushes and trees near doors and windows. Make sure you have at least a foot of space between the shrubbery and your house, which will prevent termites from coming in that way. 

Trimming will also let sunlight in and dry the soil so there is no moisture to attract termites. 

Signs of Termites in Trees:  

• Tiny holes in the wood

• Shavings at the base

• Piles of termite carcasses and shed wings

• Very small white eggs

• Mud shelter tubes going into the trunk

To discover the colony, you can dig just below the soil line at the root of the trees. Once the termites are in a tree, however, you can’t fully get rid of them without a professional pest control company. Our termite control services can get termites out of trees in a way that’s best for your home, family and pets. 

Reduce Termite Food Sources

Do you have rotten logs or other debris in your yard? What about tree stumps? These areas make for a termite banquet in Fort Lauderdale. Vegetation can draw them to your yard.

To remove the food source from your yard, pick up any logs, sticks, or other wooden debris. Remove leaf piles and fall trees as well. 

You also need to remove any tree stumps you have. These can either be pulled out or ground down through the roots. Don’t leave tree stumps in the ground as this will still attract subterranean termites. 

On a similar note, never bury wood in your yard. If you have wood furniture or other wooden products in your yard, elevate them so they are off the soil. 

Repair Termite Damage

If there is an entry point into your home, termites will likely find it. After all, your house in Fort Lauderdale is a great home for termites too with lots of food and moisture—unfortunately. 

You need to seal any entry points termites could use, so inspect your home carefully for cracks or holes that flying termites can enter from. Be sure to check your foundation, exterior walls, doors, windows, and roof. Pay special attention to windows and doors as dry wood termites frequently invade wood that has been exposed to moisture before. If you find possible entry points, repair them so the termites can’t get in.

How to Repair Termite Damage

1. Use wood hardeners: Wood hardener is a quick-drying liquid that strengthens, repairs, and reinforces termite damage 

2. Use wood sealants: Wood sealant can seal damaged wood from termites

3. Use wood fillers similar to wood sealant, wood filler can also help repair termite damage

Look For Signs of Termite Damage Around Foundation

No matter how carefully you check your foundation for cracks, there may still be some small entry points that termites can use. You should have your home inspected for cracks as well as your plumbing inspected for leaks; termites can use these holes and cracks as a way into the wood in your attic. 

Signs of Termite Damage In Your Home’s Foundation

• Mud tubes in the walls: Mud tubes look a little bit like stalagmites and are about ¼ to 1 inch in diameter.

• “Water damage” - if you believe you have water damage, don’t rule out termites. 

• A Mildew or moldy smell.

Are Termites Attracted to Moisture?

Termites don’t just like standing water, they also like anything with moisture. One of the reasons that termites come inside your house is because they like to feed on any moist wood inside your walls and attic. 

So to protect your home from termites, you need to keep your house dry. 

Use exhaust fans in areas that are frequently moist, like the kitchen and the bathroom. Also, consider a dehumidifier that will eliminate excess moisture throughout your house. 

Repairing any roof damage and plumbing leaks can also help keep termites away from your home. Leaky faucets and pipes are spots that can attract termites.

How Do You Get Rid of Termites in Outdoor Furniture?

If you want your home to be pest-free, don’t let pesky termites get inside your home in the first place. That seems simple enough, but you may unintentionally bring them inside when you bring in outdoor furniture or packages. 

If this furniture is wooden and has been sitting on the grass outside, termites may have crawled inside and begun chewing. 

So, carefully inspect any furniture or other wooden fixtures before you bring them inside. Look for any small holes, called kickout holes, which indicate that termites are inside of the wood. Also, look for small round droppings underneath the furniture that are black, white, red, or orange—these are most likely drywood termite droppings and indicate that drywood termites are in the furniture.

To get termites out of outdoor furniture (or any furniture) you’ll need fumigation services such as tenting. Native Pest Management provides the best termite tenting services in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Termite Inspection In Fort Lauderdale

One of the best ways to avoid a termite infestation is to schedule an annual termite inspection. It’s easiest to get rid of termites if they’re caught early. 

Native Pest Management provides complimentary termite inspections, unless an official WDO report is required. If we find termites in your home, we’ll identify if they are subterranean or drywood. Then, we’ll figure out the best termite treatment plan for your home. 

You can contact us today to ask any questions you have about termite inspections in Fort Lauderdale, termite treatments, termite damage or anything else about termites! 

Best Termite Treatment Near Me

While these tips can prevent termites and repair termite damage in your home, it’s highly unlikely that they will eliminate an entire colony.  

If you believe there are termites in your home, you can call a pest control company in Fort Lauderdale. They can eliminate a termite colony that may be hiding in your walls or your attic and can prevent another termite colony from moving in.  

At Native Pest Management, we provide complete pest control services to get rid of drywood termites and subterranean termites. Our termite treatments include tent fumigation, no tent termite control, termite bait stations, termite trenching, and termite pre-treatments. These services control pests by entirely removing termites and keeping your home pest-free all year long.

Tent Fumigation

Traditional tent fumigation is the most effective way to get rid of drywood termites depending on how bad the situation is. But, it’s also the most expensive service and requires you to be out of the house for at least a few days. 

If your termite infestation is severe, however, it can be the best option.

No Tent Termite Treatment

During a No Tent termite treatment, we treat specifically for drywood termites. We also apply a borate-based liquid termiticide treatment  to the accessible wood in your attic and inject an expanding termiticide foam into areas of termite activity within the living space of your home. 

A No Tent termite treatment is less costly than tent fumigation and doesn’t require you to leave your home. 

All of our termite control services also come with a one-year warranty. If you find any termites in your house within the year, we’ll re-treat your home at no additional cost. You can choose to optionally renew your warranty each year after the first year for a small additional cost.

With over 3,000 five-star reviews on Google, Yelp, Nextdoor, Facebook, and Angie’s List, we demonstrate our quality of service and commitment to exceeding your expectations. 

We service all over Fort Lauderdale and its surrounding areas. If you’re outside Fort Lauderdale, we also provide our services throughout Broward, Indian River, Martin, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Leon counties. 

If you’re unsure whether you’re in one of our service areas, call us or check out our service area page.

If you’re ready to set up a free termite inspection or talk about our termite treatment plans in Fort Lauderdale, give us a call today!