Termite Damage near Austin, TX

Termite Damage

What to do About Termite Damage?

The words termite damage are some of the most dreaded words a homeowner can hear. The words bring to mind the image of cartoon termites eating away the wooden home as we watch. Thankfully, this image is far from how a real termite infestation happens. However, the frightening fact is that a termite colony of 60,000 members CAN chew through an area as large as 2” x 4” in just five months. In fact, in the United States, termites cause more than one billion dollars in property damage every year. Termites are responsible for more property damage than all tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters combined. All this damage from tiny but persistent insects.

How Do Termites Cause Damage?

Most termites consume two to three times their body weight in wood each day! Unfortunately, this is the wood that is the support structure of your home. Although each insect is small, colonies have thousands to tens of thousands of members, all eating away at your home from the inside day after day. This means quick discovery and treatment to eradicate termites is the key to minimizing costly repairs.

What Does Termite Damage Look Like?

Often it is mistaken for water damage. Termite damage even gives off a musty, mildew odor similar to water damage. Signs of termite damage may be swollen or buckling wood areas, bubbles or tiny pinholes in paint.

Signs of termite damage also includes hollow sounding wood surfaces, and window and door frames that no longer fit properly. Sometimes damage becomes so severe drywall will collapse or ceilings and floors will begin to sag as the support beams are eaten away.

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Termite damage signs:

Resembles water damage – swollen wood, bubbling paint
Has a moldy or mildew odor like water damage
Appears as pinholes in drywall or wallpaper
Doors and window frames may shift and not fit properly as wood weakens from the inside
Wood may sound hollow (because it is!)
Floors may sag or feel weak as termites consume the supporting structure

Review the signs of termites for what to watch for and contact the trained technicians of YardDoc at the first signs of termites.

Some common first signs of termites include:

Termite tunnels or trails leading from the ground up your foundation or walls (tunnels that protect them as they travel)
Sawdust looking debris – It could be termite droppings
Tiny discarded insect wings – after swarming to a new location, termites lose their wings

As termites begin to establish their nest the colony grows, and damage occurs. Termites consume wooden beams from the inside, so termite damage is not always visible until they have consumed a significant area and the beams begin to weaken. This is why regular exterminating services from trained professionals are important to protect your home.

If you find termite infestations early, damage is kept to a minimum. Repairs may be as simple as cleaning up trails and repairing drywall or replacing trim woods where they gained access. Technicians will help you set up a barrier and seal up access points to discourage future colonies from entering your home the same way.

The longer the infestations, the more significant the damage. Replacing support beams eaten away from the inside under your home’s roof is an expensive and invasive project. By the time signs of termites show on your wood floor, there is usually extensive damage to the subfloor supports too.