Tropical temperatures like that in Malaysia which is hot and humid all year round can sometimes make home maintenance a real challenge. This is because the dampness attracts all sorts of pests and mold growth. One of the most common domestic pests are termites or White Ants.

Termites are particularly dangerous as pests as they put building structures in danger and therefore threaten human safety.

As the popular saying goes, ‘Prevention is better than Cure’. In the same way, preventing or detecting and treating a termite infestation early is better as treating a full blown termite attack is a time consuming and costly operation.

Here, we outline some ways you can prevent a termite infestation in your home:

• Prevent any water leaking into the ground. This means fix any subterranean pipes or garden pipes as termites thrive in wet soil.
• Prevent any wood products and structures from touching the ground. Any wood leftover from a building project should be removed from the ground and dead tree stumps or plants removed as well. This is because they can become a food source for termites.
• Keep drainpipes, gutters and other drainage line clean and debris free and water build-ups tend to attract termite colonies.
• Once a year, have a professional pest controller inspect your home for any signs of termite colonies.
• If you are renovating your home and want to install wood flooring, make sure you use wood that have been treated with anti-termite chemicals.
• Ensure that any wooden poles or posts that you have in your house is not grounded into the soil but is raised at least 75mm above the base level.
• The first signs of termite presence is often ‘mud tunnels’ which appear as dark brown lines on surfaces. Call professional pest control personnel immediately if you notice them
• Use a concrete or stone flooring base as a barrier against the entrance of termites into your home
• Make sure your entire house has adequate airflow to prevent corners that can collect damp and moisture as these areas will attract termites more.
• Seal any cracks in your stone or concrete flooring base to ensure that they cannot access any wood that is above the barrier.

In any case, if you suspect your home may have a termite infestation, do not wait and call for professional help immediately as there is pretty much no easy and quick way to eliminate them.