Termites can be a big problem. They like to eat all the wood in your house, and they can cause significant structural damage. One big problem with termites is that they are hard to see. They are tiny, and you tend not to see them out and about because they stay hidden in the wood. This means you can have a severe infestation before you realize it. When the exterminators come and evaluate your house, they will tell you how bad it is and what your options are. If your infestation is bad enough, they may have to tent your house. What does tenting your home mean?

Tenting

When the exterminator tents your house, they will use heavy tarps that completely seal your home up. They will put the tarps over your roof, leaving nothing visible of your house. When the house is sealed up and the tarps are entirely around the house, the exterminator will pump in some heavy-duty fumigation gas. The reason to use gas is that it can get into all the nooks and crannies, no matter how small. It can penetrate the wood where the termites are living. The gas gets pumped in on ground level and will rise to fill the entire house. You must be out of the house for several days when your home gets tented. It will take a day or two for the gas to work and then another few days to dissipate. Nothing living can stay in the house during the process because it will be affected by the fumigation. What should you do to get your house ready?

Preparations

Prepping your house takes a bit of work. Just so you know, the dates for the fumigation may change depending on the weather. You need nice, clear weather to tent. You must either seal up all your food or take it out of the house. Food that you have opened needs to be put into airtight containers. This also includes medications or similar products. If the package is airtight, it should be fine. If you have dry goods in boxes, even unopened, they need to be put into special bags or taken out of your house. Anything that isn't unsealed or in an airtight container must be disposed of if exposed to the fumigation. 

Termites are a huge problem. You may need to have your house fumigated to get rid of them. Reach out to a termite control company to learn more.