If you own an apartment block that houses many different units, you should be aware of the threat that termites can pose. Unfortunately, many property owners view termites as a risk that only affects older homes. Because such homes tend to have exposed wood, they're more prone to termite infestations.
However, termites can also affect your fancy apartment building. If the property is located near vegetation or moisture, termites may begin to eat through your foundation and cause significant damage in only a short period.
So how can you mitigate the risk of termites in your apartment building? Read on to find out.
Termites in apartments
What makes termites so dangerous is that they have insatiable appetites. This means that they are eating fairly often, and their bodies are engineered to chew through homes and buildings. Each termite has large mandibles that easily bite through chunks of wood.
Their digestive systems also digest wood and turn it into cellulose, which they use for many different purposes. If your apartment building is surrounded by a garden or lawn, termite swarms may easily make their way into the building. They often begin by chewing through your foundation and other wooden fixtures. Your tenants may notice termite swarms on their porch lights, or mud tubes lining their walls/floors.
By the time swarms are entering your tenants' homes, the infestation will be quite severe. This is why it's important to catch an infestation early, before extensive damage occurs in your building.
Control measures
Because termite infestations are a real threat to your building, here are some effective control measures to consider.
1. Limit plant growth near the base of your apartment
Termites enjoy feeding on wood and vegetation. If your building is surrounded by roots, shrubs and leaves, termites may start there and end up in your premises. And because they love to eat, your foundation may become their new source of breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can mitigate this risk by planting less vegetation near your apartment's foundation. Save the shrubs and trees for other areas of your garden.
2. Control moisture levels
When watering your grass, keep moisture away from your apartment's foundation. Any leaking water should also be cleaned up as soon as possible.
3. Replace wood with steel-reinforced beams
A longer-term solution is to replace wooden fixtures with steel-reinforced beams. As opposed to wood that provides cellulose, termites can't chew through steel beams. Steel will protect your apartment by making it more stable and durable for many years to come.
4. Have regular inspections and treatments
Finally, don't forget to have the property inspected for any early warning signs of an infestation.
Call a termite control service for more information or assistance.
When the cold days of winter start to strike, you may be lulled into thinking that pests go into hibernation at this time of year. However, I can assure you that this is not the case. In fact, if anything, you are more likely to see pests in your home during winter because they are looking for somewhere warm to hide. My blog is all about pest control. I share my thoughts on topics like how to spot if you have a pest problem, and how to stop pests getting inside. If you are looking for some pest control tips and tricks, then check out my blog posts.