We have all seen houses that are fully tented and look like the circus is in town and know that it can only mean one thing- Termites. Hopefully, that’s as close to termites as you’ll ever have to get, but chances are at some point the dreaded bug will hit your house. Termites can cause serious damage to homes or other buildings if left unchecked. Homeowners should be mindful of the signs of a possible infestation and take the appropriate steps to ensure their home is termite-free. While it may be a hassle, tenting is one preventative measure that homeowners can take to protect their homes from potential termite damage. Here are a few tips on how homeowners can prepare for your home for termite tenting:
1. Clean Up Your Yard
In order to properly prepare for tenting, it’s important to clean up your yard before the tent is put in place. This means trimming trees and shrubs that are up against the house, disposing of piles of leaves, and removing any debris that might interfere with the tent installation process. Moving outdoor furniture that is too close to the house or could potentially block walkways and impede installation should also happen now.
2. Schedule an Inspection
Before proceeding with tenting, it’s important to have an inspection done by a licensed exterminator to identify any areas of your home that might be vulnerable to termite infestation. The inspector will also be able to help you determine what type of tenting is best suited for your property and help you come up with a treatment plan if necessary. They are the professionals, so now is the time to as any and all questions you have!
3. Seal Off Vents
Vents that are used for heating and cooling systems should be carefully sealed off before tenting to ensure proper circulation within the house during the treatment period. It’s also important to turn off HVAC systems during this time since they may interact negatively with certain chemicals used in the tent fumigation process. If you’re unsure of how to do this, speak with your inspector about it during your initial inspection
4. Prepare Indoor Products
Any unsealed food needs to be removed from the home or placed in an air-tight container before the tent is installed. This includes food for all animals as well. All bathroom products such as shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste and toothbrushes, soaps, makeup, etc. should also be properly sealed up or removed completely.
5. Take Steps To Protect Plants
Plants that are located near where tenting will take place should also be taken care of prior to fumigation day to avoid any collateral damage caused by chemicals entering into soil or water sources surrounding your house or business property. Consider moving potted plants into sheltered areas and or covering them with tarps.
These are the basic steps that need to be taken to prepare your house for termite tenting. Exterminators will also offer their recommendations about how your house specifically should be prepared. We know this can feel overwhelming, but the benefits this will have on protecting your house from serious damage will make this all worth it! Best of luck!
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