Wood-destroying insects such as termites and carpenter ants cause most structural damage to wooden buildings, necessitating an integrated approach for their control, including regular inspections, moisture management strategies and the use of materials that repel these pests.
Prior to using raw materials for construction projects, inspect them closely to make sure they do not contain wood-boring beetles and fumigate as necessary.
Preventing Termite Infestations
Wood-boring insects can be expensive pests to home and business owners alike. To limit damage, it is vital to prevent infestations by taking several preventative steps – including avoiding direct contact between wood and soil, using termite-resistant materials, inspecting wooden structures regularly, and contracting professional pest control services in Atlanta Georgia.
Termites are attracted to cellulose found in wood and paper products, which they consume to form colonies above-ground colonies. When this happens, termites have the ability to destroy buildings, furniture, and other structures constructed out of wood. Some species of termite such as Formosan subterranean termites can travel long distances searching for food and moisture; they tunnel through wood while creating mud tubes to access above-ground colonies.
Installing protective barriers around a structure is one of the best ways to ward off termite infestation, including placing concrete foundations beneath buildings with wooden framing, as well as placing metal barriers between wood framing and soil. Selecting wood treated with borate as building material may also help repel termites.
Never store firewood or scrap wood inside of the house, and regularly dispose of such materials outside your property. By keeping wood away from soil contact and eliminating standing water (a common source of termite infestations), it may help to reduce termite populations.
Keep an eye out for signs of termite activity on wooden structures, such as mud tubes, discarded wings and frass. If any are noticed immediately seek professional pest control service assistance. Also keep a keen eye out for any signs in the garden or yard near home foundations of possible termite activity mud tubes that might be hiding here and there – these signs could indicate termites’ activity as well.
Termite infestation can be treated using chemical soil treatments or termiticide bait; both provide long-term preventive measures against termites.
At times, whole-structure heat or fumigation treatments may be necessary to eradicate termite infestations in old or compromised structures. The process involves raising core wood temperatures to approximately 120degF for 30 minutes at a time or gradually raising them up to 160degF over an hour – however this requires constant monitoring and may prove costly.
Preventing Wood-Boring Insects
Wood-boring insects are among the most destructive groups of pests threatening wooden structures, particularly furniture. Commonly found on furniture but also found inside buildings. There are three primary groups of these insects – powderpost beetles, deathwatch beetles and false powderpost beetles – each capable of doing extensive damage by boring holes through surfaces before chewing into and tunneling through wood structures.
The primary way to protect wood against insects is through treatment. This can be applied during construction or repair work on exposed areas of wood, and borate-based products such as Bora-Care can be an effective preventative measure that cannot be absorbed into wood by pests, making the wood unappealing to them and becoming unattractive for use by them. These treatments are widely available at hardware stores.
Prevention measures such as proper grading to divert water away from wood-contact areas and repair of leaks promptly are also effective ways of protecting wood against these insects. Dehumidifiers and ventilation improvements can further assist with controlling their population as well.
Fumigation or whole-structure heat treatments may be used in severe infestations to control these insects, both methods being highly effective but requiring multiple days for evacuation and special licensing requirements; common fumigants used include methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride.
Preventing wood-boring insects during construction is the key to avoiding costly and time-consuming pest issues after moving in. Following these simple steps will greatly extend the longevity of your structure while decreasing maintenance expenses related to pest infestation. Get in touch with Certified Home Inspectors of Florida now if you would like an inspection or to learn about our pest control services; our team serves clients throughout Florida – Ocala included! We look forward to collaborating with you!
Preventing Rodents
Rats and mice frequently enter buildings searching for food, water and shelter. Their constant chewing threatens wires, insulation and wood structures with damage and fire risk; eliminating rodents could save money while keeping structures safe while also decreasing health risks associated with rodent droppings.
Gaps between exterior wall framing and siding panels, where concrete meets foundation walls, and where rats enter provide easy entryways for rodents. Gaps should be filled with a mortar mix designed to resist gnawing by rodents; metal screed-type flashing may also help deter this behavior.
Construction methods that prevent pests include sealing the foundation with treated lumber, grading to divert water away from buildings and using termite-resistant materials – this can save both money and ensure the integrity of structures.
Aiming at eliminating rodents through sanitation, exclusion and ongoing surveillance is the best approach. Rats can gain entry through even microscopic holes as small as 1/4-inch; any possible entryways must be sealed off using galvanized metal mesh or hardware cloth to block entry holes and minimize hiding places for rodents to settle in. Furthermore, their teeth don’t tend to be as sharp as those of other animals so they have an easier time chewing through flat surfaces and materials than other animals do.
As soon as buildings are occupied, inspect interior walls and ceilings for gaps and cracks in walls and ceilings, leak repairs, use dehumidifiers to control moisture levels and improve ventilation to manage moisture levels effectively in order to prevent infestations of wood-destroying weevils and other wood-boring insects, which thrive when damp conditions exist.
Make sure that when inspecting a pole barn, garage, or hobby shop it includes inspecting all pipes and wires where they come through drywall, taking special note to look out for mouse or rat droppings (small rice-size for rats; almond-size is indicative of mice) as well as signs of rodent chewing damage to wires or wood. Also install materials resistant to rodent gnawing at where pipe or wire exit the building as this will reduce gaps or holes where pipes or wires leave the building and can prevent access by rodents entering through existing wooden buildings by installing layers of hardware cloth topped by sheet metal bands on either side – especially valuable in terms of protecting feed sheds that already existing wooden buildings against entry by installing curtain walls with layers of hardware cloth topped by an extra band of sheet metal to block any entry points into existing wooden buildings that already contain wiring from entering from other rats through their existing wiring systems that exist within.
Preventing Mosquitoes
Wood-destroying insects like termites, carpenter ants and powderpost beetles are responsible for much of the structural damage to buildings. These pests tunnel through timbers in search of nesting cavities for nesting purposes causing abrasions, swelling and warping to timber structures. Preventive strategies can significantly lower infestation levels as well as their associated damages.
Prevention strategies center around both the construction site and surrounding environment. A clean and organized construction site reduces the chances of pest infestation by providing less hiding places for them to hide in. Removing debris, clogged gutters and overflowing trash containers also is extremely effective at keeping pests at bay.
Use of materials designed to prevent infestation can also help greatly decrease its likelihood. Concrete and steel buildings are less likely to be infiltrated with wood-boring insects than wooden structures, while pre-treating wood with borate or other chemicals that repel insect pests may help avoid problems before they even arise.
Maintaining proper moisture levels is an invaluable way of protecting wood-boring insects. In humid areas like Georgia, especially, keeping wood dry and well ventilated by installing air conditioning if possible or installing fans can prevent wood borer attacks.
Mosquitoes tend to become most active at night when searching for blood meals, and during the day tend to rest in cool and shaded places such as tall grasses, weeds and shrubbery.
Screened doors and windows of porches, gazebos, and other wood structures help to keep mosquitoes and other insects at bay. Tightly-woven screens prevent mosquitoes from penetrating while also trapping heat and dampening breezes.
Planting a garden or yard with shrubs, flowers and grasses that naturally repel mosquitoes and other insects is also effective. Citronella, lemon balm, mint marigolds and geraniums are just some of the plants which may serve as effective mosquito deterrents.