What do termite-free houses have in common? There is no secret about it. Orange County homeowners are already taking these five precautions.

1. There is good drainage.

Smart home-owners know that a wet foundation is a magnet for subterranean termites. A termite free house is a healthy yard that slopes down toward a drain or sewage system, letting any excess water recycle itself rather than gathering at the base of the house. Poor drainage not only puts homes at risk of termite damage but also encourages the growth of mushrooms and the natural degradation of wood.

2. The foundation is off the ground.

If you are looking for a new house, pay special attention to the homes which have an open crawlspace. Air must be able to flow freely beneath a house in order to keep the wood dry and healthy. Keeping the foundation off the ground helps against subterranean termites but does not make infestation impossible. Even if there is a gap of a foot or so, they are still capable of building their own tunnels out of mud in order to reach the foundation.

3. The yard is free of debris.

Termites do not just infest houses. They also take down smaller wood sources like logs and branches on the ground as well as dead and dying plants. Debris that is left along the side of the house as well as under the foundation also has the effect of sealing the gap between the ground and the floor, allowing termites easy entry into the house. A healthy, well-maintained garden does its part to keep termites off the property.

4. The wood is treated.

All termites have one thing in common: their jaws are weak. Dampwood termites rely on wood that is already partially rotten while other termites can only burrow along the grain lines of the wood. Applying a layer of termite treatment during construction can help termite proof the home for decades. Paint or stain/polish to the outside of wood will help to keep it safe. Paint and polish not only guard against termites but protect wood from the elements as well. If your home wasn’t pretreated and your home has chipping paint. This is you.

5. They treat for termites whether there are signs or not.

Termite treatment is not just for when a problem has already started. Long-term treatment solutions are also a great way to prevent an infestation without any worries of any termite damage taking place. In this case, there is no need for fumigation or invasive chemicals. Treebark Final is a pet-safe, environmentally friendly treatment that only needs to be renewed every two year. With this treatment in place, there is no need to worry about a termite infestation even for a moment. It’s your way to a termite free house!

Most of this stuff seems simple and if you’ve read it and thought “this was dumb” go outside and see just how accurate we were/are, you’d be surprised. Got a raised foundation? When’s the last time you were under that house of yours to see if there’s debris down there. Slab foundation? Was the house pretreated? Bet you don’t know. There’s 5 common things all termite free houses have and I am out.

Aaron