Autumn is in full swing and for many homeowners that means making some changes to your home and yard to get ready for winter. Autumn is in full swing and for many homeowners that means making some changes to your home and yard to get ready for winter. Unfortunately, a few of those changes may not be the best way to help keep termites and carpenter ants from making your home their winter home. Luckily, New Jersey pest control companies like Ross Environmental have numerous pest management tools that they can use to control any outbreaks that may occur.

Fall Mulching

Many people use mulch in the fall, just as they do in the spring and summer months. In the fall, however, it has a very different purpose. Because the temperatures change so drastically during the colder autumn and winter months, the ground changes too. It can move upward during the continual freeze/thaw cycle of the months ahead, and that may move the root systems of plants upward. Mulching can help to maintain an even temperature and prevent those issues entirely. The problem? Performed improperly, your fall mulching could serve as an invitation to termites and carpenter ants.

Fortunately, you can still get the benefits of mulch without having to call a New Jersey termite control service such as Ross Environmental Solutions. Just follow these guidelines.

• Make sure your mulch is 1-2 feet from the foundation of your home. That will help to protect your plants without attracting additional pests. If you want something close to your home, stones are a great option and do not attract pests.

• Do not let your mulch come in contact with any window sills or the actual siding of your house. If it does, you’re just encouraging pests to move from mulch to your home.

• If you are using wood chips or wood-based mulch, keep an eye out for signs of any termites. Mulch can serve as food for termites as well as a home.

Termite control experts can help you decide whether you have a termite infestation, so contact a good termite control service like Ross Environmental if you have any questions.

Firewood

If you have a fireplace, a wood stove, or a wood-based heating unit in your home, you know how important it is to get a solid stock of firewood before the winter cold begins to hit. It is key, however, that you not stack that firewood next to your home. It is an open invitation for pests like termites and carpenter ants to invade your home. Here are a few tips if you plan to have firewood in and around your home this year.

• Stack your firewood slightly above the ground. Build a structure that rests about six to eight inches above the ground to discourage any infestations. This will not only make it tougher for the insects to invade it, but it will also help to keep it a bit drier. It’s one of the most important aspects of termite control, New Jersey residents need to remember.

• Make sure that your firewood is stored several feet from your home. Even if you want to bring some in so you don’t have to go out in a storm, just bring a few pieces at a time into your home to avoid problems. At most, you can bring in enough to burn for the day. It will take some time for the pests to warm up before they begin to cause indoor problems, so keeping it inside for a day before you burn it shouldn’t be a serious problem.

• Don’t spray the firewood with any type of pesticide. This can create dangerous fumes when you burn the firewood inside your home.
As you are preparing your home for the upcoming fall and winter seasons, you can help avoid problems with termites and carpenter ants. For assistance from your local pest control professionals, contact Ross Environmental Solutions today.