I recently ripped out a ton of out of control plants along the side of my house and replaced them with a few small bushes and flowers. I filled in the remaining space with hardwood mulch (with 3 layers of newspaper underneath.) Since then I have been reading about a possible link between mulch against a house and bugs or termites.

I live in Wisconsin where termites aren't much of a problem. The spot where the foundation of the house meets the siding is at least 14 inches off the ground.

Is the mulch okay or am I just asking for trouble??

Thanks!

You should be OK as long as the mulch is laying up against only the concrete house foundation, and there is a good gap between the mulch and your wood siding.

Thanks! There is a good amount of space between the mulch and siding - at least a foot, if not more.
Thank you!

The mulch is a better breeding ground for bugs than bare earth, especially if its damp and shaded. You can add a termite/ant barrier but many home owners don't like chemicals.

Mulch beds against a house are quite common. Code here calls for 8'' between the ground and frame of the house. As ebains said, you should be fine.

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Originally Posted by tinamina

I recently ripped out a ton of out of control plants along the side of my house and replaced them with a few small bushes and flowers. I filled in the remaining space with hardwood mulch (with 3 layers of newspaper underneath.) Since then I have been reading about a possible link between mulch against a house and bugs or termites.

I live in Wisconsin where termites aren't much of a problem. The spot where the foundation of the house meets the siding is at least 14 inches off the ground.

Is the mulch okay or am I just asking for trouble????

Thanks!

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I've used mulch many a time and found no problem with bugs. Termites will come from underneath where you can't see them. I live in Pennsylvania and we have problems with them. We even had it in an all brick home. If you are worried about it, most pest control companies will come out and check you home for free. Mulch is a good way of helping to keep moisture in your ground and that helps save having to water plants more.