How to protect your home from termites

What draws termites to a house

Native subterranean termites are the most common termites in most of the United States, the EPA says. Texas A&M explains that they dry out easily, so they must stay in touch with the soil or another moisture source such as leaky plumbing or roofs, air conditioner condensers or poorly kept gutters. With moisture available, they can stay away from the soil for long periods.^[8][5]

Wood touching soil gives termites food, moisture, shelter and a hidden way into the building, Kentucky Extension says, and soil that stays moist next to the foundation makes an infestation more likely.^[1]

The Texas Department of Agriculture lists the conditions inspectors look for: wood touching soil, firewood stacked against the foundation, wood debris in the crawl space, wood mulch within 3 feet of the foundation, faulty grade, poor ventilation and moisture.^[9]

Formosan termites are more likely than native species to set up nests above ground where structural or plumbing leaks keep wood moist, Mississippi State says, even in rooftop planter boxes. Fixing leaks matters well above the foundation in Formosan areas.^[12]

Six steps

• Eliminate wood in contact with the ground: regrade or pull soil and mulch back from the foundation, cut the bottom off lattice, and set posts and steps on concrete bases.^[1]
• Don't let moisture build up near the foundation: working gutters and downspouts with splash blocks, fixed leaks and AC drips, soil sloped away from the house, and sprinklers aimed away from the walls.^[1]
• Reduce crawl space moisture: keep vents clear and consider 4 to 6 mil polyethylene sheeting over about 75 percent of the soil.^[1]
• Never store firewood or wood debris against the foundation or in the crawl space; avoid vines and dense plantings against the house, and remove stumps and leftover form boards.^[1]
• Use mulch sparingly, a couple of inches, and never against wood siding or door and window frames; termites are drawn to its moisture more than its wood, so the type of mulch makes little difference.^[1]
• Consider a preventive treatment by a professional firm, especially if the home has never been treated.^[1]

How much space to leave between soil and wood

Sources give different numbers because they measure different parts of the house. UC IPM says to check local building codes for the exact minimum distance from wood to soil.^[3][1][6]

• Siding and door and window frames: at least six inches above the ground, Kentucky Extension says. Kansas State gives 6 to 8 inches for exterior woodwork.^[1][6]
• Below siding, Texas A&M wants at least 6 inches of bare foundation showing between the soil and the bottom edge of the siding, especially stucco, so termite activity can be seen during an inspection.^[4]
• Under the building, UC IPM says structural wood should ideally sit at least 12 inches above the soil, with a 12-inch zone of smooth concrete, coarse sand or other inorganic material between the soil surface and the wood.^[3][10]
• Crawl spaces: Texas A&M calls for at least 18 inches between floor joists and the soil and at least 12 inches under floor beams. Kansas State says beams should be at least 18 inches up so the crawl space can be inspected.^[5][4][6]
• Stucco or siding that runs into the soil is a problem. UC IPM says termites may travel unseen between ground-level stucco and the foundation, and Arizona Extension advises against stucco below grade.^[3][13]
• Raised soil hides entry points. Texas A&M has inspectors report any place where soil reaches above the top of the foundation, including built-in planter boxes filled above the brick or stucco line.^[5]

Close cracks and gaps

Termites can get through a crack as small as 1/32 of an inch, according to Kansas State and the Texas Department of Agriculture.^[6][9]

• Fill cracks in concrete foundations and the gaps where utilities pass through walls with cement, grout or caulk, and fix leaks right away, the EPA advises.^[8]
• Slab homes are especially open to attack through expansion joints, cracks and openings around plumbing, Kansas State says.^[6]
• UC IPM recommends repairing foundation cracks, plumbing leaks, faulty grades and defects in exterior wood promptly, and finishing exterior wood with sealant or paint.^[10]
• Don't count on metal termite shields. Kansas State says they seldom give complete protection because they are often installed incorrectly, and termites may build mud tubes across or around them.^[6]
• In a slab house, make sure the bath trap under the tub can be reached. If it can't, Texas A&M suggests installing a removable plumbing hatch so the area can be checked for shelter tubes from time to time.^[5][4]

Mulch, plants, firewood and watering

• Gravel isn't a fix. Kentucky Extension says crushed stone and pea gravel attract termites about as much as wood mulch, because they also hold moisture in the soil underneath.^[1]
• On mulch distance, the Texas Department of Agriculture counts wood mulch within 3 feet of the foundation as a condition favoring termites, while Kentucky Extension's advice is a thin layer of a couple of inches kept off siding and door and window frames.^[9][1]
• Don't plant trees and shrubs too close to the house or let them grow against exposed wood, and keep foundation vents clear of plants, the EPA says. Kansas State adds that shrubs should sit far enough from vents to let air move.^[8][6]
• Watch the watering. Texas A&M notes that watering the soil next to the foundation may keep a slab from cracking but can also attract foraging termites, and Kentucky Extension says to aim sprinklers and irrigation so water doesn't puddle near the foundation.^[5][1]
• Clear wood piles, untreated fence posts and buried scrap wood near the house, UC IPM says. Kansas State's list of wood that shouldn't touch the soil next to the house includes wood fencing, firewood piles, trellises, wood porches and steps, and flower boxes.^[10][6]
• Don't use the crawl space as storage for wood, cardboard or paper, NC State says; all of it is termite food.^[7]

Building, adding on and repairs

Use pressure-treated or naturally resistant lumber where wood must touch soil, but termites can build tubes over treated wood to reach untreated wood above it.^[3]

The best time to protect any building is before and during construction, when the soil under the slab can be treated.^[4]

Termites have been found in buildings as soon as four days after construction, the Texas Department of Agriculture says, and any building made wholly or partly of wood can be attacked.^[9]

Texas A&M calls the time before the slab is poured the one chance to protect the soil beneath it. A complete pre-construction treatment covers all the soil under the slab, plus the outside of the foundation once the final grade is set; treating only the plumbing penetrations is a partial job. Kansas State also recommends pretreating the soil before concrete is poured.^[4][6]

• Remove form boards, grade stakes and wood scraps before backfilling, and never let boards get buried next to the foundation or under slabs, porches and steps.^[6][4][1]
• Borate treatment of framing lumber may help, Texas A&M says, but it is not a full pre-construction treatment. Wire screening clamped around the plumbing before the slab is poured is expensive but very effective when installed correctly.^[4]
• Texas allows termite baits in place of a liquid treatment before construction, but Texas A&M does not recommend that method for protecting a new building.^[4]
• Physical barriers such as steel mesh and certain sizes of sand have performed well, the EPA says, and are usually put in during construction.^[8]
• Arizona Extension adds three pre-construction steps: remove stumps and large roots within 25 feet of the structure, make sure the soil under the concrete is level and well compacted, and pour the concrete within 24 hours of the termiticide application.^[13]
• North Carolina's building code requires some kind of termite protection on all new homes; the builder or owner picks the method, as long as the state agriculture department has approved it.^[7]

Preventive treatments and contracts

Upkeep makes a house less attractive to termites, but Kentucky Extension says most of a building's openings are hidden and calls a termiticide the best way to prevent an infestation.^[1]

NC State points out that when no termites have been found, a preventive treatment is your choice. A company can suggest one but can't tell you that you need it, and if you skip it, regular inspections are how you find out when termites arrive.^[7]

• How long it lasts: liquid termiticides are supposed to control termites for at least five years when applied by the label. NC State says properly applied products typically work for 5 to 10 years, and how you maintain the house and yard affects when termites eventually find a way in.^[2][7]
• Read the contract first. NC State says some companies require a partial booster retreatment after a set period to keep the guarantee, usually not covered by the contract, or raise the renewal fee instead.^[7]
• Bait systems are the other approach. Kentucky Extension says stations typically go in the ground 10 to 15 feet apart around the whole house and are checked anywhere from monthly to once a year, depending on the product. Termites find them by chance while foraging, so it takes patience.^[14]
• For Formosan termites, Mississippi State says soil-applied treatments and in-ground bait stations are the main preventive tools. They won't control a colony already nesting above ground, but they work for preventing the first infestation.^[12]

Drywood termites need a different plan

Drywood termites set up colonies directly in dry wood with no contact with the soil, Mississippi State says, and controlling them is very different from controlling subterranean termites.^[12]

• UC IPM lists four ways to keep drywood termites out of sound wood: chemical treatments, pressure-treated wood, barriers such as screens and paint, and resistant wood species. Results vary for all of them, there is no field data on screens and paint, and barriers break down and can be breached.^[11]
• Mississippi State says non-native drywood termites sometimes arrive in infested furniture, wood carvings or wooden bowls, and if not noticed they can move from that piece into other wood in the building.^[12]
• Caught early, a drywood infestation may need nothing more than removing and destroying the few infested pieces of wood; one that has spread through a building may need tenting and fumigation.^[12]

Keep watching

Kentucky Extension's signs to watch for: pencil-wide mud tubes on foundations, piers, sills or joists; winged swarmers or their shed wings on windowsills and along floor edges; and wood hollowed out along the grain with bits of mud or soil inside.^[1]

Sources differ on how often to inspect. UC IPM suggests every 3 to 5 years, or every several years for a house that has had termites before. NC State values annual inspections, partly because without records of past inspections there is no way to tell how old newly found damage is. Arizona Extension suggests inspecting the house yourself twice a year or having a professional do it annually.^[10][7][13]

Pest control companies often offer free termite inspections and will point out conditions that favor termites, Kentucky Extension says; finding a hidden infestation takes a trained eye.^[1]

Can you treat termites yourself?

For an infested home, it's best not to. Treatment takes knowledge of building construction, powerful drills, large spray tanks and soil-injection rods, and often hundreds of gallons of termiticide.^[2]

Do-it-yourself products sold in stores or online seldom eradicate an existing termite problem. A possible exception is a small wooden object not attached to the house, such as a mailbox post.^[2]

In California there are no reliable over-the-counter termite control products; the effective ones are professional-only.^[3]

What homeowners can do: replace damaged wood and correct the conditions that attract termites.^[3]

NC State notes that termite products sold to homeowners carry label language saying they supplement, and don't replace, mechanical changes and soil and foundation treatment. They kill termites but won't eliminate an infestation or protect the house from future ones.^[7]

Spraying the soil surface or the outside of the foundation won't stop termites coming up from below. A proper soil treatment means trenching along the foundation and around piers; NC State's example house, 40 by 30 feet with a one-foot-deep footer, needs 48 gallons just for the outside wall, and the total can easily pass 100 gallons.^[7]

UC IPM says do-it-yourself termite pesticides are generally not effective.^[10]

Common questions

Does mulch attract termites?

Mostly through moisture. Kentucky Extension says termites are drawn to mulch for the moisture and insulation it gives rather than as food, so the type of mulch makes little difference. Keep it to a couple of inches and off wood siding and frames.^[1]

Does pressure-treated wood stop termites?

Not completely. Kentucky Extension says termites enter it through cracks and cut ends or build tunnels over the surface, and UC IPM says they can build shelter tubes over treated wood to reach untreated wood above.^[1][3]

Is a preventive termite treatment worth it?

Kentucky Extension calls it a prudent investment, especially for a house that has never been treated. NC State treats it as the owner's choice when no termites have been found, with regular inspections as the fallback.^[1][7]

How often should a house be inspected for termites?

Advice ranges from twice a year by the homeowner or a yearly professional inspection (Arizona Extension), to annually (NC State), to every 3 to 5 years (UC IPM).^[13][7][10]

Can I apply a termite treatment myself to prevent termites?

Extension services advise against it. NC State says consumer termite products are only a supplement and won't protect a house from future infestations, and Kentucky Extension says store-bought products seldom eradicate an existing problem.^[7][2]

Other termite guides

Checking, treating and storing wood once prevention is in place.

• DIY termite inspection checklist
• Termite treatment options
• What a liquid termite treatment involves
• Tenting for drywood termites
• Storing firewood without bringing in pests
• Pest-proofing the rest of the house

Sources

1. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-605: Protecting your Home Against Termites (revised March 2026).” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef605 (accessed 2026-10-06)
2. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-604: Termite Control: Answers for Homeowners (revised March 2026).” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef604 (accessed 2026-10-06)
3. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Subterranean and Other Termites, Publication 7415 (May 2014).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pntermites.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
4. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, “Formosan Subterranean Termites, E-367.” extensionentomology.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/01/Formosan-subterranean-termites-E367.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
5. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, “Subterranean Termites, E-368 (R.E. Gold, K.M. Schofield, E. Brown and M. Keck, 9/10).” extensionentomology.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/01/Subterranean-termites-E368.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
6. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, “Termites, MF-722.” bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF722.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
7. NC State Extension, “Termites: Biology and Control.” content.ces.ncsu.edu/termites-biology-and-control (accessed 2026-11-10)
8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Termites: How to Identify and Control Them.” www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/termites-how-identify-and-control-them (accessed 2026-11-10)
9. Texas Department of Agriculture, “Termite FAQs (Structural Pest Control Service).” texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service/Termite-Fumigation-Applications/Termite-FAQs (accessed 2026-11-10)
10. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Subterranean and Other Termites, Publication 7415 (web edition).” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/subterranean-and-other-termites/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
11. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Drywood Termites (web edition).” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/drywood-termites/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
12. Mississippi State University Extension, “Species of Termites in Mississippi.” extension.msstate.edu/insects/termites/species-termites-mississippi (accessed 2026-11-10)
13. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, “Arizona Termites of Economic Importance, az1369 (Baker and Marchosky, June 2005).” extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1369.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
14. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-639: Termite Baits: A Guide for Homeowners.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef639 (accessed 2026-11-10)