Conducive conditions are structural or environmental conditions that can lead to pest problems by providing pests with food, water, or shelter. Conducive conditions usually arise from faulty or outdated construction methods or poor maintenance of structures or landscaping.
The main Conducive Conditions for termite infestation include:
- Soil Line Too High or Foundation Too Low
- Heavy Foliage
- Wood to Soil Contact
- Moisture Damaged or Damp Wood
- Standing Water
- Planter Box Abutting Structure
- Insufficient Ventilation
The presence of conducive conditions does not mean that there is a pest problem, nor does correcting conducive conditions mean that you won’t have a pest problem in the future. However, eliminating conducive conditions can reduce the abundance of pests around a structure, reducing the likelihood they will become a problem in the future. Additionally, pest control treatments are far more effective when conducive conditions aren’t present. Many of these conditions reduce coverage of pest control treatments, cause pest control treatments to break down more quickly, or make visual inspections ineffective. For example, heavy foliage against a house will keep pest control treatments from reaching the structure, creates a high moisture environment that break down pesticides, and restricts the ability of pest control experts to see the structure during inspections.
Click the links above for more details on each conducive condition and what to do about them.
