How To Prevent Termite Structural Damage
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In property damage, there are tons of dollars lost as a result of termites’ infestation. This is not covered under the homeowner’s standard insurance policy. The infestations normally are not noticeable before the damage signs that are obvious shows up.
The common structural components in a house that termites can damage include floors, posts, support beams, wall studs, ceiling joists, floor joists, roof supports, attics, drywall or sheetrock, and even the foundation.
Repairs are costly and complicated depending on the extent of damage, location as well as building materials that will be used in fixing the problem.
The termite infestation signs that are common include traces of dust that is similar to dust, sagging ceiling and floors, Areas that look as if slightly damaged by water and finally piles of wings resembling scales
Termite damage can be prevented easily through regular treatment and inspection, but the structural failure as a result of the damage is not common.
Your trusted termite inspector will give you a report divided into two parts. The first part will outline the damage that has occurred, and the second part will have the potential causes as well as the future damage locations. The areas that have high infestation potential will include loose wooden paneling, woodpiles, and damp areas. You can address such threats to help in preventing infestation by termites. This can save you a lot of money associated with repairs.
During a termite inspection, your inspector can find superficial termite damage. If he does, you can ask her or him on the extent of the damage. You can only see a small amount of damage while the extent of damage is huge under the surface. For instance, if there is damage on hardwood floor, there is the likelihood of termites infesting the subfloor and the floor support beneath it.
Termite Floor Damage
The process of repairing the termite damage to a floor is very complicated. Termites only destroy the superficial floor parts. This is because they prefer softwood which is used in the supporting components underneath the visible flooring.
How Can Termites Damage Flooring?
Wood Floors
Termite damage can be noticable on hardwood floors, but most of the time it is hard for homeowners to see. The wood can be weak and tear away when in general use if you do not treat the infestation for many years. Termites like feeding on softer wood compared to hardwoods. When it is confirmed by your termite specialist that there is termite damage surrounding your hardwood floors. This shows that you are having termite damage beneath the hardwoods together with subfloors as well as the supports.
Squeaky floors
Termite damage to your floor can be witnessed by excessive squeaking. Floors can be weakened by termites at the damage site such as supports, floor surfaces, and subfloor. Floors that are weakened are movement sensitive. Moving floorboards may cause them to creak or squeak as the boards are rubbing against the nails and each other.
Hollow sound
Termite damage may be noticed by a hollow sound. Termites create cavities in the baseboards, floors including nearby walls when they consume wood. Your termite inspector mostly taps the wood when checking for a hollow sound. This will assist in determining whether there exists a hidden termite infestation.
You can repair minor damage to your hardwood floor such as oak with wood filler. After the holes are filled and the filler dried up, it can then be sanded and finally sealed or stained. Regularly replace the oak boards that have experienced termite damage.
Termite tubes can hang on the beams which support a wood floor such as:
Floor joists
These are the framing components of a house that provides support for the floor. The joists are commonly composed of wooden I-beams which are 2 x 8 inches or bigger. If you have a floor joist that is incorrectly repaired or weakened through termite damage, it may fall due to the weight of appliances or furniture supported by the floor.
Damage done to the structural components such as floor joists is more costly compared to nonstructural components.
The repairs for floor support are complicated. In replacing a support beam, your contractor should offer temporary support when removing the beam which is damaged. The contractor can even add a supportive beam. This can be complicated because of utility pipes and ductworks which run in between the support beams.
Laminate Floors
The laminate floors can also be damaged by termites. The termite's infestation can result in damage that looks similar to water damage. The underlying laminate flooring will sag and blister in the areas affected. If closely inspected, you will discover that underneath the bucked areas, there is a hollow network of tunnels. These termites are known to feed through the laminate floor creating small holes. In addressing the damage to the floor, it is recommended to remove the old laminate, this should be followed by laying down the new flooring. It is impossible to repair such laminate material when it is damaged by termites.
Looks like water damage
The termite damage signs to the laminate floor are comparable to the water damage signs. The laminate floor will sag in some places and bubble up in others. On investigation, you will notice the presence of a hollow network of tunnels beneath such areas.
Contact a professional
When your floor is damaged by termites, the infestation needs to be treated immediately before you can repair the floor. You can contact a termite technician who will perform an inspection and is trained to use specific termite treatments. The inspection will confirm whether there is a termite infestion as well as review the possibility of any further damage to the structure.
When there is structural damage as detected by your technician, especially extensive damage, you can hire the services of a professional contractor to perform the repairs. They have the necessary tools that will enable him to tackle serious repairs. For instance, when joists or beams are replaced, they can use the hydraulic jacks in temporarily supporting a floor.
These are costly procedures that you can prevent. As a homeowner, it is necessary to annually schedule termite inspections with your local pest control expert. This will help you in developing a solution meant specifically for your home.
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