Termite Damage: This Is What They Can Do to a House

Everybody knows that termites are invasive and harmful pests, capable of doing severe damage to a house and other structures. But, what are the results of an infestation?

If you live in an area prone to this problem, it’s absolutely essential to know what signs to look for and know how advanced your situation may have become. Otherwise, you might notice these uninvited guests too late and wind up having to pay for costly repairs. 

While it will cost money to exterminate these unwanted insects, waiting until you have extensive damage to take action can leave you spending far more than what you could have if you took action sooner. In fact, structural damage caused by these common pests is often measured in the thousands.

Learn about termite damage, including the early signs of an invasion, below.

Signs of Termites

If you’ve noticed stuck windows or doors, mysterious damage under your home’s paint, or discarded wings, you likely have termites in your home. You should also look out for mud tubes that the insects use to move back and forth to the colony, and piles of droppings, which typically look like dust.

Check inside and outside your home for evidence of these insects, and don’t forget hard to reach spaces like attics and crawlspaces. If you can’t reach an area of your house for visual inspection, you can also listen for termites head-banging. Used to communicate, this behavior emits a faint scratching sound that could tip you off to the location of these unwanted visitors.

Types of Termite Damage

Termites can consume wood of all kinds, usually starting with trim and decorative pieces around windows and doors. If you have termites, you’ll likely notice peeling and bubbling paint or thin rotten-feeling wood around these places. However, once they’ve devoured these easier-to-reach pieces of wood, they’ll move on to something more substantial.

Termites can compromise your home’s structural integrity, gnawing through support beams in attics, floors, basements, and even walls. And they won’t stop there.

In cases of extreme infestation, they’ll also move inside your home, eating furniture, cabinets, and any wood they can reach.

Termite Removal

If your home has a termite problem, you’ll need to call in a professional to help eliminate them. In some cases, the infestation will be linked to a subterranean colony, making bait stations and liquid treatments the best option.

Professional pest control companies may also install metal flashing or other physical devices to make it more difficult for the termites to reach your house. 

More advanced invasions can even force you and your family out of your home while a tent fumigation is performed. This process involves completely enclosing the structure in tarps and airtight fabric while powerful fumigants are released inside. Once the tent is removed, your home will be termite-free.

Getting Rid of Termites

If reading this article helped you identify termite damage in your home, don’t wait to take action. Contact the experts at Chet’s Termite and Pest Management or call (813) 935-7554 today. 

Don’t take a chance on your home’s structural safety – termite damage can become serious and costly way faster than you think.