After rainfall, all kinds of creepy crawlies come crawling and slithering out of their homes, including ants, spiders and mosquitoes. But the pest that homeowners should be most concerned about is termites. Rainfall can create the kind of conditions in which termites can thrive. And, unfortunately, these conditions can sometimes be present around or in your home.
Although flying termites do come out after rain, these shouldn't be your immediate worry. It takes flying termites up to five years to form a mature termite colony in the soil. The main concern is nearby termite colonies. If rainfall creates the right conditions near, in or even on your home, this could attract the voracious attention of a termite colony.
As such, after heavy rainfall, ensure you go around your home and do the following things.
1. Check Your Gutters
During heavy rainfall, debris like leaves and twigs can lodge in guttering. This causes a dam that blocks the flow of the rainwater and causes it to pool on your roof. Pooling water puts a massive amount of pressure on a roof, and just one tear or piece of faulty flashing can cause water to leak into your home. Moreover, water can leak down the side of your home.
Although termites live deep underground, they can sense moisture and the humidity that it creates when it encounters soil and other organic things, such as wood. And, using their mud tunnels, termites can easily scale your home to reach rotting wood in your gutters or roof. As such, make sure that you check your gutters after heavy rain.
2. Check for Puddles Around the Foundation
The same goes for water pooling around your foundations due to slopes or concrete, for instance. Termites need moisture and humidity to survive. And if there is wood nearby too, then they have a very good reason to head straight for your home. If those termites then gain access to your home via a crack in the concrete foundation or your siding, your home could become a termite snack.
3. Check Your Roof for Leaks
Along with your gutters, it's also a good idea to check your roof for leaks. After heavy rain, head on up to your attic and make sure your roof is sound. Remember, even though termites live underground, they can travel up to your roof via their mud tubes if they feel the meal awaiting them is worth it.
Don't take any chances with termites. After heavy rainfall, check and make sure there is no water damage or standing water in, on or near your home.
To learn more about termites, contact a pest control professional offering termite control services in your area.
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