A termite prevention checklist for a Jacksonville home lists the steps that remove the conditions termites need: landscaping and woodpiles kept a foot from the foundation, leaks repaired promptly, and gutters and drainage directed away from the house. The UF/IFAS Extension office gives those steps for Duval County, and each one can be checked in an afternoon.
Key takeaways
- Keep landscaping and woodpiles at least a foot from the foundation, as the Extension office advises.
- Repair leaks promptly, because damp wood and soil keep termite routes open.
- Direct gutters and drainage away from the house so water does not sit against the wall.
- Raise firewood and lumber on a rack and keep it out of the crawlspace.
- Walk the trees and stumps once a season and report anything new.
- Use the checklist as a seasonal routine, not a one-time job.
Which items on the checklist come from Extension?
The Extension items are the foot of clearance from landscaping and woodpiles, prompt repair of leaks, and gutters and drainage directed at least a foot from the house. The rest of this checklist adds the checks that follow from those three items.
The Extension brochure for Duval County is short, and its advice is specific. It asks residents to keep landscaping and woodpiles at least a foot from the foundation, to repair leaks promptly and to direct gutters and drainage away from the house. Those are the foundation of the checklist.
The additional items in this checklist follow from the same logic. If wood and soil should stay away from the wall, then the trees, the stumps, the firewood and the fence line should be checked too. If water should be kept away from the foundation, then the crawlspace and the wall below the shower should be checked as well.
The checklist is not a substitute for an inspection. It is the set of household steps that keep the conditions unfavorable, and it works best alongside a periodic inspection by a technician.
What belongs on the outside checklist?
The outside checklist covers landscaping, woodpiles, firewood, landscape timbers, the fence line, the trees and the stumps, the gutters and the grade. Each item is checked once a season and after any change to the lot.
Start with the planting beds. Pull any bed that sits against the siding back to a foot or more, and keep shrubs trimmed so the base of the wall stays visible. Mulch should be a few inches deep and kept off the foundation.
Move woodpiles and firewood onto a rack or pallet at least a foot from the house. Check landscape timbers and pavers that touch the wall, and set them back or replace any that are soft at the contact point.
Walk the fence line and the trees. A fence post attached to the house is a path, and a dead stump near the foundation is a food source and a nest site. Note any mud tubes or bark material and call a technician if you find them.
- Beds and shrubs pulled back to a foot or more from the wall.
- Mulch a few inches deep and clear of the foundation.
- Woodpiles and firewood on a rack, a foot or more from the house.
- Timbers and pavers not touching the siding.
- Fence posts and stumps checked where they meet the house.
What belongs on the water checklist?
The water checklist covers gutters, downspouts, the grade, the air conditioner condensate line and any leak inside. The aim is to keep water away from the foundation and the wood, and to fix leaks before they keep the wall wet.
Clean gutters at least twice a year and after heavy storms, and check that they do not overflow at a corner. An overflow at a corner wets a strip of soil against the wall, which is the condition termites use.
Direct each downspout at least a foot from the foundation so water runs away from the house. A splash pad that sends water back toward the wall does not meet that standard, and the water should run away from the bed.
Check the grade so that the soil falls away from the house. Check the condensate line from the air conditioner too, since a line that empties onto the soil beside the house keeps that soil wet.
| Check | How often |
|---|---|
| Gutters cleared of leaves and debris | At least twice a year, and after heavy storms |
| Downspouts run a foot or more from the wall | Once a year, and after any change |
| Grade falling away from the foundation | Once a year, and after regrading |
| Condensate line not emptying at the wall | Once a year |
| Leaks under sinks and at the water heater | Every month, and at each leak |
What belongs on the inside checklist?
The inside checklist covers the crawlspace, the cabinets under sinks, the area around the water heater, the bathroom walls below the shower and the attic. The aim is to find damp, stains and soft wood before a termite route is built on them.
Look under each sink for a drip, a stain or a soft board. Check the water heater's base and the washing machine's hoses. A slow leak is the most common reason a wall stays wet long enough for termites, and it is often found by smell before it is seen.
Look at the crawlspace if one is accessible. Check that the vents are open, that a dryer vent does not blow into the space, and that the ground is not standing with water. Any soft joist end or damp wood should be reported to a technician.
Look at the bathroom walls and ceilings below each shower. A stain or a soft patch is a sign of a leak in the shower pan or the supply line, and it should be repaired by a plumber.
- Look under each sink for drips, stains and soft boards.
- Check the water heater and the washer hoses.
- Look at the crawlspace vents and dryer vent outlet.
- Check the wall below each shower for stains.
How should the checklist be run through the year?
Run the outside check in spring and fall, the water check after each major storm and the inside check twice a year. A calendar reminder, tied to a task the household already does, is the simplest way to keep the routine going.
Spring is a good time to check the beds, the mulch and the woodpiles, since most landscaping is done then. Fall is a good time to check the gutters and the grade, after the leaves have come down and before the rains of the next season.
A storm check is the one that catches the most problems. After a heavy rain, walk the house and look at the wall, the gutters and the downspouts. Any overflow, pool or stream against the wall is a reason to act within the week.
Keep a dated record of each check, with a photograph of anything that changed. The record shows the trend, and it is the first thing a technician will ask for when a sign appears.
When should a homeowner stop doing the checklist alone and call a technician?
Call a technician when you find a mud tube, bark material, swarmers or soft wood, or when a moisture problem keeps coming back after repair. A checklist keeps conditions unfavorable, but it does not replace an inspection once a sign appears.
A sign is the point where the checklist hands over to the inspection. A mud tube, cotton-like material on a tree, swarmers in the house or soft wood at a sill is a reason to stop and call, because the extent of the activity can only be found by inspection.
A moisture problem that returns after repair is also a reason to call. The technician can take readings and find the source, which may be a plumbing or drainage problem beyond the checklist.
The checklist is most useful when it is done with a technician's record in hand. The technician's notes say what to focus on, and the household's checks show whether the conditions are changing.
Where the checklist meets a sale or a rental
A checklist is most useful when it is run before a sale or a new tenancy, not only at the start of a year.
A checklist is most useful when it is run before a sale or a new tenancy, not only at the start of a year. Give the buyer or tenant the list alongside the inspection report, so the conditions the report found are the ones the next occupant keeps under control.
For a rental, the checklist becomes the reporting route and the monthly task list. For a sale, it becomes the record the seller can show: what was cleared, what was repaired and when, with photographs taken before and after each change.
Frequently asked questions
How far from the house should landscaping be?
The UF/IFAS Extension advice for Duval County is at least a foot from the foundation for landscaping and woodpiles.
How often should gutters be cleaned?
At least twice a year and after heavy storms, and sooner if a tree hangs over the roof. Check that they do not overflow at a corner.
Can I do the checklist myself?
Yes. Most of the steps are within a homeowner's reach. Anything at height, inside a wall or involving a plumbing repair is a job for a qualified person.
What if I find a mud tube while doing the checklist?
Leave it in place, photograph it with a scale object and call a technician. Do not break it.
Does the checklist stop termites?
It removes many of the conditions they need, which lowers the risk. It does not guarantee that termites will not reach the house, so an inspection is still needed.
Who should I call to fix a leak?
A plumber for leaks inside a wall or under a slab, and an appliance technician for the washer or the water heater. The pest technician can name the wet wood.
Sources
This guide is general information for Duval County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.