If your home has a termite infestation, the long-term structural damage caused by these pests should be a top-of-mind concern for every homeowner. After all, if termites start colonizing in your home or property, the damage can be swift or gradual. Unfortunately, by the time you notice the termite damage from an infestation, serious structural issues may have already occurred. For example, property owners should be aware of some signs that structural termite damage is present.
- The damage can become so pervasive that termites attach to and chew through cabinets, floors and ceilings.
- It might appear like water damage at first – buckling wood and swollen floors or ceilings.
- Visible termite mazes in the walls and furniture or noticing the pending cracks in wood’s veneer, which would show the termite infestation.
- The home begins to develop a scent similar to mold or mildew.
- Chewing mazes through antique furniture.
- If your doesn’t shows visible damage, but you notice a swarm outside of your home, save some of the dead insects for evidence.
As a result, working with an exterminator to rid your property of the termites is the first step in termite control. From there, what options do you have?
Termite Control & Limiting Termite Damage
There are multiple types of termites, which means each species presents different types of damage. For example, drywood termites go after structural timbers and other wood products in your home. As a result, these termites chew across the grain and hollowing out the area. Additionally, even if you don’t spot the termites, it can look like a small maze has formed in the wood. Conversely, it might look like certain areas of your home have strange, unexplainable water damage. In fact, according to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), termites cause an estimated $5 to $30 billion in damage annually.
How do they cause so much destruction?
Generally, termite damage occurs from the inside out. A common scenerio starts in the basement, where the termites enter the home and start to colonize. However, as they grow slowly, homeowners typically do not notice an infestation for months or years. Additionally, while the termites colonize and start causing damage, they attract moisture. Of course, this causes a second degree of of termite damage, which is structural like simple rot, mold and fungus growth.
With these factors in mind, once the pests are gone, property owners must address potential structural repairs, such as:
- Unsound ceilings and walls.
- Damaged drywall, carpeting and furniture.
- Damaged insulation.
- Aesthetic issues like mazes and water-like damage.
- Mud tunnels in your foundation (or termites in your yard).
- Damaged windows, doors, decks and siding.
As a result, in order to limit termite damage, it is important to work with professionals that offer proper termite protection and control. If not, termite damage leads to working with professionals on properly eradicating the pests with comprehensive structural repairs.
How to Repair Termite Damage
Repairing termite damage has a two-fold purpose: Improving your home’s stability, such as unsound walls or ceilings and insulation, along with fixing any damaged wood, carpeting, furniture and doors. Not only will these repairs improve the safety and structure of your home, but ideally they will limit any reduction in property value.
Depending on the degree of damage, a combination of repairs may be required:
- Hardening the wood. A compound that hardens the surface of the wood may be applied if the damage is strictly superficial. It’s used to fill in the “maze” lines.
- Adding temporary supports to all of the damaged areas throughout your home.
- Sanding and scraping away all signs of an infestation, before a wood sealer is applied below the surface.
- Replacing the damaged supports with more structurally sound options.
- Damage may be behind tiles and around piping and wires, so a contractor may take apart your home’s plumbing and electrical systems, plus any materials on the walls, to replace the low-quality, bored wood.
Termites create so much damage because they ruin the foundation of a home. As a result, experts recommend completely eradicating termites before starting to repair any damage. Otherwise, the existing pests may continue to cause damage to recently repaired and installed fixes.
ANNUAL TERMITE INSPECTIONS
In order for peace of mind, it is important to schedule an annual termite inspection. Eliminate ‘Em’s property assessment goes over all areas of the home, from the basement to crawl spaces, with our team searching for signs of wood debris and potential entry points. After we remove the termites, we provide professional tips for addressing early signs and preventing further termite damage. To start the recovery process and protect your home from further termite damage, give us a call today at 866-802-7378.
