Termites are an expensive problem, and if you’ve ever had them in your home, you know just how devastating they can be. The damage is often not only costly to repair but irreversible. So what’s the best way to protect yourself from termites? In this article I’ll discuss several ways that homeowners have used to treat wood in order to prevent termites.
Will coating your wood make it termite resistant?
Coating your wood is not a long term solution. It’s a cosmetic treatment, not structural one. If you want to prevent termites from eating through your wood, you need to treat it with an insecticide that will kill them when they come in contact with the treated area of your home.
The process for treating your home for termites involves two steps: first you need to identify where they’re entering into the house (this could be through cracks in walls or around windows or doors) and then seal those areas off so they can’t get inside anymore. After this has been done, then apply an insecticide directly onto any exposed wood surfaces within five feet of where these openings were found earlier on during step one of this process!
You can’t treat wood with chemicals to prevent termites. The reason is that most types of treated wood are actually less resistant to insects than untreated wood. That’s because the chemicals used in treating the wood–including borates, metals and organophosphates–are toxic to humans and other animals as well as insects. When they’re applied to the surface of a piece of lumber or plywood, they leach out over time, weakening it over time until it eventually decays completely (and not just from termite damage).
When you buy treated lumber for use in your home construction projects, make sure that you understand what kind of treatment has been used on them: this information should be clearly labeled on each piece of lumber at the store where you buy it so there are no surprises later on!
Is there a termite-resistant finish that I can paint on my wood?
There is no such thing as a termite-resistant finish. Even if you paint your wood, they can still eat through it. You should instead treat the wood with chemicals that prevent termites from being able to digest the cellulose in your wood. These treatments must be applied properly so that they do not leach into groundwater or pollute the air around them.
Spectracide HG-53370 Termite Killer
- Foaming aerosol
- Easy to use
- Kills termites
- Can be used both indoors and outdoors
- Formulated to kill exposed subterranean, drywood and dampwood termites on contact
Spectracide Terminate Termite
- Continuous power sprayer with extendable wand
- Kills termites on contact
- For localized control only
Can I spray my house with a termite-proofing product?
You can spray your home with a termite-proofing product, but it’s not a substitute for treatment. A termite-proofing spray can be applied to the exterior of your home to prevent termites from entering. However, this is not effective if there are already live termites inside the walls or floors of your house (or if they’re underground).
Some brands also make interior sprays that claim to kill off existing colonies and prevent future ones from forming inside your walls and floors. The effectiveness of these products depends on how much time has passed since they were applied–if you wait too long between applications, then the colony may have already rebuilt itself before another dose hits its walls!
Will treating the soil around my house prevent termites from coming near it?
Soil treatment is not a permanent solution to termite infestations. It can be difficult for soil treatments to completely eradicate termites because they tunnel through the soil and come up under the foundation, even if there are no signs of their presence in your backyard or yard. The good news is that soil treatments are effective at preventing new colonies from forming around your home (which makes them ideal if you have termites but don’t want them spreading).
If you’re interested in trying out this method, talk with your pest control professional about what products he or she recommends using on your property’s soil–and remember: even after following all of their instructions closely, it may take several months before seeing results!
Can I treat my deck to keep termites away from it?
You can treat your deck with a termite-resistant finish. This will make it harder for the termites to get into the wood and eat it. You can also treat the soil around your deck to keep them away from it, and use a termite bait station if there are already any termites in or around your home.
Can I spray some chemicals on the cracks in my foundation to keep them from being a problem?
You can use a termite spray to keep them out. You can also use special types of sealants, paints and other chemicals to prevent termites from entering your home through cracks in the foundation.
There are several ways to treat wood to help prevent termites. One option is painting the wood with a termite-resistant finish. If you do this, make sure you don’t use oil-based paints on your deck or porch because they will attract even more pests. Another option is treating the soil around your house with a termiticide in order to keep termites away from it completely (and thus out of any wooden structures).
Another way would be spraying chemicals on the cracks in your foundation, which would then kill any bugs that come into contact with them as they try to get inside through those openings.
Conclusion
If you want to prevent termites from eating your wood, there are several options. You can treat the soil around your house with chemicals that will kill them before they reach it. Or, if you have a deck or porch that faces the ground directly, you can paint or spray on a termite-resistant finish that will keep these pests away from those surfaces as well. You can also get rid of any cracks in your foundation so they don’t give termites any access points into your home at all!