Termites are a bigger worry for homeowners than even fire or food. That alone should be sufficient for anyone to understand the capacity of these termites to wreck havoc in any house. They can destroy the wood in the house completely unless they are stopped at the right time. The best time to fight the termites is even before they attack your house.
Surprisingly most of the termite attack is caused by the actions of the home owners themselves. That is why it is important to understand things that encourage termites to attack your house, so that you can avoid them completely.
The most common reason for termite attack is the plants kept near the sides of house especially ones that have grown out of control. That is why you should always try to keep the plants away from the sides of the house. If you or your neighbor must keep plants, take care to ensure that no part of the plants including the root is touching your house.
The second most common reason of termite infestation is the use of wood, the choicest food of termites, to build shed or deck in the backyard. If you still decide to go ahead with the plan, then at least make use of wood that is less attractive to the termites. Cedar and juniper are few wood types that are less loved by the termites. Please try to for such wood items even though they tend to be a little more expensive than other wood items.
All the above reasons of termite attack had to do with availability of wood as a bait for the termites to attack your house. Moisture is another item that is equally attractive for the termites. Look out for any source of moisture near your home and try to solve the issue. If it is the rain water falling down from the roof then put gutters on the roof to catch the water and then divert it to a spot away from the side of your home. Leaking pipe lines is another cause of moisture around the home. Look for any such source of water in your yard and get them repaired as soon as you can.
I find it really stupid to expose your home to the attack of termites by ignoring such small details. Try to follow all the above advices to reduce the risk of termite attack on your home and furniture.