A termite can cause a lot of damage to your home. And unfortunately, there is no foolproof method to deter them completely from your home. However, knowing what makes your home more attractive than someone else's may help you prevent them from choosing your home to make their home. Here are a few of the common things that attract a termite to your home. 

Firewood or Lumber Being Stored Up Against a Home

Termites love wood. And when you store wood products right up against your home, you are inviting them to transition from the wood products to your home. Never store firewood, lumber or even use mulch right up against your house. Termites take this as a welcome sign to infest your home. 

Moisture Near the Foundation of a Home

Another thing that termites love is moisture. In fact, they need moisture in order to digest the cellulose pulp that they ingest in wood and cellulose paper materials. As such, they seek out places that have the moisture content they need to eat, thrive and survive. Just like with wood products near your home, moisture near the foundation is like a neon light to termites inviting them in. They find the water and then have easy access into your home at the foundation level. French drainage systems or sloping your yard can help prevent water from pooling near the foundation of your home. The upside to this is that water sitting near the foundation can also damage the foundation, so taking care of it kills two birds with one stone. 

An Abundance of Cellulose Paper Material 

Termites love to eat wood because of the cellulose fiber content in it. However, wood is not the only item that they love. Many paper products are made from the thicker cellulose material that they thrive on. These products include thicker materials such as cardboard boxes, paper pulp and even cellulose insulation. If you store these materials in your crawl space, attic, or garage, you are providing termites with the things they enjoy, such as dark, quiet spaces and food to feast on. 

Natural Openings In Your Home That Allow the Termites to Enter

The last thing that may attract termites to your home is easy access to enter. Many homes have natural openings in your home that a termite can fit through. This may be small gaps in your siding, tiny cracks in your foundation, or holes in your crawl space. Having gaps makes it much easier for any type of pest to enter your home, including termites. A professional exterminator can walk around your home and seal in these gaps so various types of pests have a much harder time entering the space. 

If you have termites, or suspect you do, you want to get them professionally treated quickly. Termites are extremely difficult to treat on your own because they burrow themselves deep within the wood in your home and multiply quickly. When you are dealing with termites, contact a termite extermination service or visit a site like http://www.craigandsons.com.