Pest Control Blog: Eliminating Mice, Cockroaches and the Other PestsPest Control Blog: Eliminating Mice, Cockroaches and the Other Pests


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Pest Control Blog: Eliminating Mice, Cockroaches and the Other Pests

Hi, my name is Susie, and I used to feel like I as a magnet for pests. As soon as I got rid of the fruit flies, the cockroaches would appear. As soon as I got rid of the cockroaches, the mice would appear. It felt like a never-ending cycle until I learned how to deal with each pest in its own way. If you want to learn to eliminate pests from your home forever, you need a foolproof strategy. You need a basic understanding of each type of pest, and you also need to know when to call the pros. Want to learn those tips? Then, explore this blog.

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What attracts termites to your home and how to stop them

Having termites in your home is bad news. These little critters can destroy the fundamental structure of your home. Many people are more creeped out by things like spiders and cockroaches – these pests are an annoyance but they won't destroy your home. The difference with termites is that they can potentially tear your home apart. A termite colony will happily gnaw away at any wood within your home, and often they can go completely undetected while living behind walls, in floor coverings, and in home insulation.

What attracts termites in the first place?

In order to figure out how to get rid of these pests, it's wise to actually know what is attracting them to your house.

Food. Every living thing has to eat and a termite's food of choice is wood. They will be attracted to any wooden structures, as well as any wood products like cardboard and paper in your home.

Warmth. Termites thrive in warm environments, which is bad news for Australian homeowners in the warm summers of this country. Areas of mulch in the winter time can also produce a warm enough environment for termites to thrive.

Soil. A food source is useless to termites if they can't get to it. They are attracted to soil in which they can create tunnels that enable them to reach wood. This gives them a direct line of access to food and protects them from predators. Termites also like moist environments and particular soils can give them the moisture they need to survive.

So how can you prevent a termite invasion?

Bearing in mind the things that attract termites, this can provide some direction as to how to prevent termites from eating up your property.

Treat your wood. Any wood that is used in the construction of your property, or even that is used to build something like an outdoor pergola, should be chemically treated to deter termites. Chemically treated lumber does not guarantee that termites will not attack, but it does stop them from being so keen on your wood.

Stop wood to ground contact. If you are creating a new construction from scratch, try not to let the wooden structure make contact with the ground. You can achieve this by investing in concrete supports that raise wooden structures off the ground so that termites can't reach them from their soil tunnels.

Store wood away from the house. If you have spare wood or firewood lying around in close proximity to your home, this can attract termites into your living space. Keep it as far away as possible, or if you only have a small space to work with, at least raise it off the ground.

Ventilate your home. Since termites are attracted to moisture, make sure that you have good air flow in your home. In the summer months this can be achieved by investing in a high quality air conditioning system.

Regularly clean your gutters. When debris gathers in your gutters, this can create small pools of water that termites are attracted to because it creates a moist environment close to your house. Regularly have your gutters cleaned to ensure there is nothing there that attracts termites.

And if termites attack…

Termites are hardy creatures, and while it is sensible to put your best food forward and employ practices that keep termites at bay, sometimes they will still reach your home. In this case, it is best to lean on the talents of professional pest control services like Promaster Group.  Termites can be hard to detect, and with their specialist equipment, the pest control folks can identify every area where the termites are. They can then use an affective baiting solution that will destroy termite nests and the whole colony.