If you have inspected your home and found no sign of termites, before you start celebrating, there are a few things you should do to make sure your home stays termite free.

Most species of termites need wood and water to survive. The drywood termite, which has been found in dry wood in desert environments, is an exception. However, for dampwood termites, Formosan termites, and subterranean termites, anytime you have wood and water together, you're inviting them to attack your structure. To make sure you keep these species at bay you should remove all wood debris from around your house, especially, beneath your home where moisture is present.

Wood
Check the crawl space thoroughly to make sure no wood has been left under the house when it was constructed or when repairs were last completed. Make sure no wood from your structure comes in contact with the ground. Your house siding should not touch the ground. If the siding does touch the ground, then you may need to do some grading next to your house to get the dirt away from your foundation. Soil lines and landscape beds should be 3 inches below the foundation's top. Do not put untreated wood chips in your planting beds. The moisture created by the beds and untreated wood invites termites to the surface and could lead them to your home.

Remove dead trees away from your house and pick up limbs and sticks out of the yard after a storm or after trimming. Letting them lie on the ground invites termites to the surface.

Do not store firewood near your home and keep it off the ground. If you don't keep it off the ground, then termites will come straight from the ground up into the wood without any problem. Stack the firewood off the ground to allow air do flow around it. This technique will not only keep the termites out, but it will help dry the wood faster as well. Do not store firewood in the garage, under the carport, or on your front porch or on your deck. Termites often invade firewood and can easily go from the wood to your house if you store the wood nearby.

Water
You should eliminate any standing water near your home, but you must also understand that puddles of water are not the water source termites need. They want moisture, especially moisture that is found near or in wood. So for example, if you have a leaking faucet beneath the kitchen sink it could be a potential place for termites to attack your kitchen cabinet.

Make sure water is diverted away from your foundation. You may have to grade around the house or add soil to get the water to flow away. If you add soil, it must be 3 inches below the foundation top. Repair leaking facets inside and outside the house. Make sure the sprinkler does not leak and that the sprinkler does not throw water against the house. Don't forget the air conditioner has condensation that must be diverted away from the house and make sure your gutters divert water away from the house as well.

Inspecting your home for termites during the fall and spring seasons is a wise task for homeowners. It's also wise to remove any wood and sources of water that will create the food termites need and search for to survive. Ask any termite specialist, and they will tell you prevention is always easier and cost much less too.

If you have termite symptoms, contact www.pestproductsonline.com for termite control products.

Dennise Brogdon is the managing editor of the Hughston Health Alert, a quarterly, patient-information newsletter, and she is an editorial assistant for the National Athletic Trainers' Association's scientific journal, the Journal of Athletic Training. Dennise is a Web site copywriter and editor. She has experience writing and editing SEO copy and META tags, brochures, advertorials, video scripts, and other technical and promotional material, as well. Dennise earned a BA in English with professional writing as an emphasis at Columbus State University. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Georgia Writers Association.