What you need to know damaging termites

What you need to know damaging termites

Termites leave few clues of there arrival and are active all year round. Those pesky termites cause severe damage to homes, sometimes repairs are not typically covered in standard insurance policies. Discovering unsettling damage at your home can cost thousands of dollars. Termites like damp, dark, and warm areas of a home. Termites live in colonies and once the little termites grow to a certain extent they form a swarm, which is a traveling crowd, and maintain a colony.

Signs of termite damage can include buckling ceilings or walls, appearance of water damage, maze like tunnels in wooden structures, mud tunnels on foundation walls, swarms of termites, termites are known to ruin carpeting, walls, furniture, and flooring.

Can the damage from termites be fixed?

Even though it is rare for some termite species to damage a home beyond repair, if the infestation is not treated for many years. If caught soon enough the cost of the termite repair would be much less.

Subterranean termites

Florida has the subterranean termite species as a termite colony can case significant damage to a house in approximately two years, if it is not treated or controlled. These African subterranean termites dwell underground in loose damp soil. The largest subterranean termite colonies eat about a pound of wood per day and up wards to 100 pounds per year. These critters can travel in tunnels from the ground up on foundation walls and enter your home.

Drywood termites

Other smaller colony species such as the drywood termites can cause the same type of damage over a period of 20 years. These termites live in and feed on wood, they are often found in studded walls, attic areas, and furniture. They eat wood from the inside out.

Swarming termites

These termites swarm in warm weather and often after a rain shower to start new colonies. As the swarming event be so brief you may not even see the flying termites. You are likely to view the discarded wings around window sills, doors, house vents, bathtubs and sinks. Winged termites are attracted to light sources and are mostly active in spring time.

 What can I do to prevent termite damage?

Termite bait or liquid treatements are the best ways to prevent termites. A preventative measure would include eliminating wood-soil contact and resolving moisture problems, store firewood at least 20 feet away from your home, maintain a 18” gap between mulch or soil and wood parts of the home, cut foliage at least 3 feet away, aim irrigation sprinklers away from the foundation, and direct downspouts away from the home. Keep air vents clear and clean so the air can circulate in attics and crawl spaces, however these measures will not keep termites from trying to enter your home.

As a preventive measure, you could use “Bora-Care”. This is a borate treatment that is easily applied to wood and over time can penetrate the entire mass of wood. It is not only a fungus treatment but also making wood unappetizing to wood boring insects and uninhabitable to fungi.

If you believe you’ve found termite damage or have inspection repairs with in your home or just want some peace of mind, call a trusted handyman for your repairs.

If your home needs siding repairs, take action now and schedule Mr. Fix-It Handyman Service to fix up your home!