There are numerous ways you can reduce the chance of your home being infested by Formosan and other subterranean termites:
- Remove any wood or cellulose-containing material (such as cardboard) that is in direct contact with bare ground.
- Carefully inspect wooden items, especially railroad ties, for termites before buying them.
- Do not leave wooden items such as planters, tubs, trellises, railroad ties, firewood, and stakes on top of or in bare ground.
- Anchor wooden posts for fences, decks, porches, sheds, etc. in cement so that no wood is contacting bare ground.
- Structural wood at or near ground level should be pressure-treated with a wood preservative. Preservatives mainly protect against wood-decaying fungi but are also effective against termites.
- Maintain a zone of at least one foot around the outside of your home that is clear of plants and other landscaping materials. This reduces soil moisture and makes it easier to inspect for shelter tubes coming up from the ground.
- Install rain gutters to prevent water from dripping down around the perimeter of your home.
- Keep rain gutters clear so that water drains quickly and does not accumulate and soak the upper walls and roof of your home.
- Fix or replace leaky outdoor faucets and water lines.
- Gutter downspouts and air conditioner condensate lines should empty out at least one foot away from the base of the home.
- The ground next to your home should slope away so that water does not pool next to it.
- Keep sprinklers from wetting the walls of your home.
- Fix leaks in the basement, roof, water heater, appliances, and other sources inside your home. These leaks moisten wood and create damp environments that Formosan and other subterranean termites like to live in.
- Remove all wooden grade stakes, form boards, supports, and scrap wood after finishing construction or remodeling.
- Remove dead trees and plants including the roots and stumps, if possible, from your yard.
- Eliminate or reduce the use of mulch and wood chips around the foundation of your home. This eliminates cooler and moist soil conditions favored by Formosan and other subterranean termites.
Also, as part of the Florida Building Code, a standard Termite Protection Code for new construction requires building designs and construction practices that should reduce termite problems and make it easier to find infestations.
