Termites are eating wood in 49 of the 50 US states. You will find them everywhere but Alaska and they are causing almost One-Billion dollars in damage each year. Unfortunately every home, even those made of brick or other products can still be attacked and damaged by termites. All homes have a base of wood and if you do not keep an eye on your structure, you could end up with large amounts of damage thanks to termites.
Detecting termites can be your first and best step towards prevention of deadly damage. If you keep a watchful eye out and monitor your home’s foundation and structure for termite damage, you could actually save yourself the hassle of having to fix termite issues after the damage has been done. If you see the signs of subterranean termite infestations, call your local termite specialist and have your home inspected and the termites dealt with quickly.
You can quickly detect subterranean termites by looking for winged termites around the awning and base of your home. Large numbers of winged termites are usually found around exposed wood or soil. Swarms are often attracted to outdoor lights and sometimes can be found inside wooden sheds and garage enclosures. If you see a swarm, it could mean that there are several thousand termites currently looking for a new home. You should make sure that their home is not your house.
Another visual clue that termites are in the area is mud tubes or mud protruding from cracks between wooden boards and beams. You should make it a habit to inspect your home and all wooden structures for mud tunnels and mud build up each year. If you see mud build up around your foundation or wood areas of your home and you know that the mud should not be there, you may have termites. Termites use the mud to construct runways that allow them to tunnel across exposed areas and reach the wood. If you see mud tunnels and you are not squeamish around bugs, you can scrape them off the structure and watch the area to see if the termites repair or construct new tunnels in the area.
Viewing wood damage is not as easy and visual as mud build up. Termites eat the inside of the wood and leave the outer shell as they feed. Look for a honeycombed appearance on the exposed ends of any wood you can see. If you find dirt or mud in areas where you know they should not be, you may want to probe the wood with a knife or flat screwdriver to detect if the wood is hollow. In extreme cases of wood damage, the wood will sound hollow.
Termites will not reduce the wood to a powdery mass but they will cause extensive damage that can only be repaired by replacing the damaged sections. Avoid having to replace sections of your structure by taking the time to inspect you home for visual signs of termites at least once a year. Taking a few minutes to look around and check for termites will really help you save thousands of dollars when termites do attack.
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