What Attracts Termites to My House in Florida?

Every type of termite is attracted to wood, but each one has specific preferences that influence what structures they infest. It’s important to know what attracts termites to your house in order to prevent infestations:

1. Improper drainage or leaky pipes causing excess moisture near or in your home
2. Firewood or wood piles stored in or near your property
3. Wooden foundations in direct contact with soil
4. Airflow or ventilation issues causing excess humidity inside of a home
5. Mulch or landscaping too close to the foundation of the property

How Did I Get Termites?

No animal or insect will invade your home without cause. They simply follow their natural instincts to find optimal conditions for survival. It is no different in the case of termites. If you can learn more about what attracts them to homes, you can help guard yours against an infestation.

• Dampness: Subterranean termites require moisture to survive and to digest their food, so any leaks or standing pools of water in or around your home make the perfect environment for them.
• Cellulose: Termites primarily eat cellulose, which is a main component of wood and plants. If your home has any wood-based structural component exposed to the ground, termites will be drawn to it as an excellent food source.
• Warmth: You will often find mud tubes built by termites, and these are used to trap in moisture and heat. Termites are also found more often in warm, damp climates like that found in the southeastern region.

Finding the Source of Termite Infestations

Realizing you have termites in your home is something no homeowner wants to go through, but learning how they got there in the first place is crucial to prevent future infestations. The biggest contributing factor to termite infestations is weather; when temperatures are just right, swarming termites will seek out a new habitat to build a new colony. If your home has any of the previously mentioned factors, it’s important to either remove the source of what may attract termites or otherwise stay vigilant about prevention methods and inspections.