Wood destroyers
Termite prevention and inspection
You cannot spray your way out of a subterranean termite colony from a retail aisle. Prevention is moisture control, wood-to-soil separation, grading, and scheduled inspection. Treatment is a licensed liquid barrier, baiting system, or (for drywood) localized or whole-structure methods.
When this method is the right tool
Every wood-framed building in termite country needs inspection. Buyers in the US South, California, Hawaii, and the Gulf should treat a termite letter as a document, not a vibe.
How to do it
- Keep wood off soil. No siding in dirt, no firewood against the house, no hidden form boards left in a porch.
- Fix water. Downspouts, grade, shower leaks, and AC condensate are termite catering.
- Inspect mud tubes and wood. Look at sill plates, crawlspace piers, and window frames. Probe damaged wood. Do not confuse termites with carpenter ants — the debris differs.
- Hire a licensee for treatment. Soil termiticides and bait systems are professional tools in most US states.
Inspection tools around termite prevention
Moisture and wood contact are the homeowner levers. Liquid barriers and colony baiting stay with a licensee in most states.
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Hardware
Pin-type wood moisture meter
Damp wood is carpenter-ant and termite language. A meter tells you if the sill, shower wall, or fascia is actually wet before you buy a spray. Wet still needs a building fix.
Hardware
Headlamp or flashlight for inspections
German cockroaches, rodent runways, and bed-bug harborages are night-shift jobs. A light you can point into a hinge beats another can of spray.
Hardware
Exterior sealant for gaps and joints
Seal utility penetrations, trim joints, and hairline gaps after you know nothing is trapped inside. Sealant without mesh is not a rat patch. Keep it off weep holes that a wall needs to drain.
Mistakes that waste money
- Painting over shelter tubes and calling it done.
- Stacking mulch against stucco until it bridges the barrier.
- Skipping crawlspace inspections because “the house is new.”
Safety
Termiticides are restricted-use in many formulations. Do not pour leftover yard insecticide into a trench. Fumigation for drywood termites requires leaving the structure and following the fumigator’s written plan.