Signs That You Might Have Termites.
Hungry Little Buggers
Termite damage can cost thousands of dollars in repairs. Early detection and early eradication is essential to protecting your home or other property. Termites can exist in hollow spaces in wood that can't be seen from the outside staying silent and largely invisible.
A pest professional can help you identify any termite activity on or near your property, contributing factors, and offer a yearly protection plan that will guarantee you never end up with termites in your home or business.
Subterranean termites are the most common kind and cause 95% of all termite damage in North America. Almost anything with cellulose (the main component of wood) including wood paneling, paper products, cardboard boxes, canvas, carpeting, pool linings, etc. are all food sources for termites. Indicators of potential problems include prolonged earth contact of lumber, areas where water collects, exposed or sun damaged eaves, unpainted siding, damaged wood, and inexpensive lumber.
In situations where termites are already in the ground and lumber has been placed on the dirt, termites will seek out the new source of food and enter the wood to start eating. They can also lay eggs. If such wood is used in any type of construction, the eggs will eventually lead to a serious infestation.
Depending on moisture levels, climate, geography, and location of a colony it can take 3 to 8 years before signs of an infestation (serious damage to your house) are identified. Once the colony is large enough, termites usually make their presence known in the spring with a large swarm into nature as they seek to expand their colony. Flying termites seek out damaged eaves for food and to begin building a colony. Underground, subterranean termites build mud tunnels to access sill plates and other wood sources.
Although cedar and redwood have oils that kill termites in their natural states, the oils dry up over time as a result of dry-rot, sun exposure, and exposure to moisture. Pre-treated wood has substances to keep bugs from eating it, but that doesn't mean those substances remain in the wood over time. If you don’t catch them early, you’re setting yourself up to spend much more on both treatment and repairs than would otherwise be necessary.
