When you buy a new home, one of the most important things you can do is protect it from termites. No matter the age of the home, termites can do damage if the pests are in your yard and attracted to your home because of damp and rotting wood. Here are some important termite control steps to take.

Keep Your Home Dry

Subterranean termites need moist conditions to thrive. They die quickly unless they have moist soil, mud tunnels, or damp wood to protect them. Your home will be less appealing to subterranean termites if you keep it as dry as possible by repairing plumbing leaks, fixing a leaky roof, and running a dehumidifier in your damp basement. In addition, your exterminator may advise sealing your house so termites won't get in through cracks in your foundation or siding.

Have Termite Inspections

Don't wait until you have a termite infestation to call an exterminator. Instead, have periodic inspections done so the exterminator can find signs of termite activity before the pests invade your home in large numbers and create a lot of damage. After your initial inspection, the exterminator may set up monitoring bait stations in your yard and check those on a regular schedule for signs of termite activity.

Get Termite Treatments

If your home currently has termites, then immediate treatments are needed to get rid of them. The exterminator might tent your home and kill them with fumigation or use bait stations that contain chemicals that kill off the colony.

Bait stations are a popular type of termite control treatment since the bait can kill off termites at the source. This is possible since termites that are out foraging take the chemically treated bait back to the nest and share it with other termites. This can kill off the colony over time. Bait might be slower acting than other treatments, but bait stations are effective at treating and preventing termites.

Your exterminator might also provide preventative treatments that include bait, liquids, sprays, and wood treatments. Preventing a termite infestation is the best type of termite control since it saves your home from destruction the pests can unleash on your home.

It's common to enter a termite treatment plan agreement with your pest control company so bait stations are serviced as needed and you have ongoing protection against these destructive pests. Termite control is usually separate from other pest control treatments you may have done and they are an important way to keep your home safe from structural damage.