If you haven’t done a home inspection recently, you could have a ticking time bomb underneath your feet, termites. You don’t have to know which wire to cut in order to diffuse an explosive situation. Here are a few simple tips to conduct a home inspection that will help keep any potential termites at bay.

Outdoors

Look For Falling or Fallen Tree Limbs

Be on the lookout for any wood debris like decaying logs and old stumps are prime termite targets. You want to move them at least 15 feet away from your house. Even your lovely winter woodpile needs to be away from any of your structures.

Check Your Gutters

The next thing you want to do is check your gutters. You want to make sure they’re clear of debris and that your downspouts are pouring water away from your house. You don’t want any standing water pooling in your gutters, near your roof or down by your foundation.

Watch out for Mud Tubes

Be on the lookout for mud tubes as they are where termites forage. To look for mud tubes, inspect your foundation, your door casings, your porch, or patio, and your pipes. All of those places could potentially be little termite havens. Termite mud tubes are 1/4 to 1 inch in diameter, often brown but will take the colour of dirt in the vicinity. They are flat and can be noticed easily when present along exterior concrete/brick walls or a home’s foundation.

Move At Risk Objects Away From Your Structure

If you’ve got wood mulch, touching your structure, just take a rake and move it away a little bit from the foundation. You might also consider replacing wood mulch with things like pine straw or rocks, or even ground plants. Don’t forget about the wood fence check to see whether it’s touching your structure. Also focus on sheds, gardens, and other exterior wood structures, which can be potential termites hotspots.

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Indoors

Look For Baseboard/Drywall Damage

The first thing you’re going to look for is any kind of damage along your baseboards or your drywall. Since drywall is partially made of cellulose, termites can readily feed on the paper in drywall and cause damage.

Water Damage

We’re going to go into the bathroom where you’ll need to look for moisture. Look for water damage all along your sink, around your toilet, even up here on your molding. Check your tub or your shower for any water damage.

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Now, if you suspect at all that you might be sitting on a termite time bomb, or you just want a professional to take a look, give your Orkin Canada technician a call and we can create a customized solution just for you.