Everyone fears having to deal with pests in their house. Roaches and rodents, for example, can transmit sickness and contaminate the food supply in your home. Itchy bites from pests like bed bugs and fleas can be terrifying. Termites may be the most irritating of all pests, but it’s hard to argue that they’re also the most damaging to your home. 

Termites can inflict serious damage to your house’s structural timber and the areas surrounding your windows and doors. The wood in your home’s walls and furnishings can be damaged by severe infestations and the rest of your property. It is impossible to let a termite infestation go unchecked because of the potential for damage. 

Common Home Damages Caused by Termites:

  1. Damage to the woodwork surrounding windows and doors 

It isn’t easy to see the wood in several places around your house. The wood in your foundation, walls, and roof are all included in this. To keep a close eye on areas for termite damage, you will need to make time to dig beneath the home or climb into the attic regularly. You may check for termite damage in other wood parts of your house as often as possible. 

Window and door casings are included in this category. Doors and windows in homes are often installed in wood frames by builders. Termite damage can be identified by looking for wavy or weak wood or by finding spaces or hollows in the wood.

  1. A rotted piece of wood in your home’s interior 

A termite colony that begins on the wood foundation of your home will ultimately climb up into the walls of your home. Wood furniture and other items in your house are vulnerable to termites, which may chew away at them over time. While subterranean termites prefer damp environments, this termite is referred to as a “dry wood termite.” 

  1. Termite foundation damage 

Subterranean termites are responsible for termite foundation damage because they may enter through any crack or hole in the foundation. These pests don’t damage concrete and brick foundations, but they’ll take advantage of faults in these materials to get into your house. Termites will utilize their mud tunnels to go from the bottom, along the foundation, and onto the floorboards, window and door frames, wooden siding, or patios to reach their food.

Termites will eat the wood near the concrete, not the concrete itself, in the event of a concrete foundation. With crawl spaces, pier-and-beam foundations provide termites with an easy meal that rests in the soil. When they move in, they remain.

  1. Termite damage to structural wood 

The subterranean termite is an example of a termite that needs moisture to live. People find these termites in the ground, where they form colonies. They look for wood to build a vast network of tunnels or mud tubes underneath it, slipping through minor holes. It can also be seen in the backyard, which has plants, trees, flowers, and veggies. With that, these termites will consume all supplies of wood, wreaking havoc outside and inside your house.

  1. Wall termite damage 

Termites consider walls one of their preferred locations; therefore, it is not unusual to cause structural damage. These intruders can infiltrate the home through the tiniest cracks and holes. As a result, if you detect small holes, bubbling, weakened, broken, or peeling paint on the windows, walls, or baseboards, this could be a symptom of a termite infestation in your home.

However, keep an eye out for additional possible termite indicators if you notice any of these symptoms, as they are commonly misinterpreted for minor water damage.

  1. Termite damage to the carpet 

Aside from their wood-destroying skills, termites can devour anything formed of cellulose, including carpet fibers. Termites can also eat the carpet cushion or tack strips and even floorboards underneath the carpet.

Termites multiply rapidly and frequently find shelter beneath the carpet when early summer or late spring arrives. These are typically found stuck to the carpet in the corners. They rarely cause any damage to it other than a few marks; nonetheless, rugs provide an ideal environment for them to grow, so it’s crucial to keep an eye out for any stains or blemishes they leave behind.

  1. Ceiling termite damage 

Signs of termite damage to the ceiling will seem like water damage and drooping, indicating that the infestation is likely extensive. You might expect additional damage to the roof, interior walls, or your ceiling support system if you notice an impairment to your roof or ceiling. Termites can go unnoticed for years if a home’s roof has missing shingles, leaks around the fireplace, or untreated eaves or fascia where they might settle and establish a colony.

Cost of Damages

When a termite infestation is identified early on, it will rarely cost the thousands of dollars it frequently does when a significant infestation is discovered later on. Minor infestation-related repairs, primarily aesthetic or lesser scale, can be completed for a few hundred dollars or less. The presence of an infestation over a lengthy period (typically five years or more) increases the likelihood that it may cause structural damage. Of course, restoring this will be substantially more than the original cost.

Termite Prevention Costs 

Termite infestations may be costly at times. Knowing what to anticipate from a termite infestation and being proactive in looking for indicators of termites in your house is critical. In the long term, you’ll save money if you take preventative actions regularly to avoid termite damage from an infestation. This will always be less expensive than the expense that comes with repairs after a complete infestation.

How to Prevent Termites from Infiltrating Your House? 

While it is practically impossible to eradicate a termite infestation on your own completely, there are methods that homeowners may take to prevent an infestation. Additionally, you can combine these acts into your weekly or monthly household chores. To prevent termites from invading your property, here are some tips:

  • Before construction, clear the location of all surrounding, buried, or embedded tree stumps, roots, and other wood waste. This procedure should also be followed for established homes and structures.
  • Termites love crawl spaces, especially when filled with wooden furniture, cardboard, or other paper-based materials. Therefore, store your things in your house’s storage.
  • If you have leaks or plumbing difficulties in your house, the wood in your home may get waterlogged. A termite’s preferred meal is soft, moist wood, which is why they are attracted to it, to begin with.
  • Damages in the foundation and other concrete or brick areas of your house should be addressed immediately. These flaws could provide termites with an easy passage into your building from the outside. 
  • Termites love firewood, scrap wood, and timber, especially if they are exposed to moist surroundings and are resting on the ground. Keep them away from your structure to prevent termites from infiltrating quickly.

Conclusion 

Reinforcing the building, particularly during construction, may help prevent termite damage from occurring in the first place. Taking additional steps now may save you time, money, and aggravation in the future. To ensure your termite prevention tactics are paying off, you should still have a professional inspector go over your house every year.