How Termites Can Destroy Your Home

There’s probably no pest more feared by homeowners than the humble termite. This little creature might be tiny, but it brings with it the power to destroy any wooden structure it comes against. If you suspect your home might be infested with termites, there’s already a chance that it is, and it’s too late to avoid dealing with termite damage. But how destructive are they exactly?

The Signs of a Termite Infestation

Termites not only like to eat wood — they have an insatiable appetite. When you have a colony nearby, they are basically eating 24/7. If they’re in your house, well then you already know what is on the menu. You might find the tell-tale signs around, including:

• Sightings of flying insects (looking like winged ants, usually) outside your house, usually clustering in one area.
• Discarded wings on the floor in one particular part of your house.
• Piles of sawdust along the walls and in corners.
• Mud tubes along the foundation where termites can travel quickly.
• Damage to the wood in your home.

Any of these could be a sign that you’ve already got termites. And if you do, what happens next?

What to Do After Finding Termites

Well, the first thing to realize is that, by the time you’ve noticed something, they’ve most likely been at work for a while. This means you can expect there to be some damage. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost! You might imagine that the next thing to happen will be your entire house covered in large sheets of plastic, being fumigated. While drastic measures sometimes do happen, the truth is that once found, a termite infestation can often be dealt with rather quickly. It’s what happens after that can be a problem.

If the termites recently moved in, you might be lucky and have only minor damage. You might need to replace a few boards, panels or sheets of drywall. A home inspection might be necessary to really ascertain the extent of the damage. If more damage is found, though, the repairs can get pretty expensive, as entire sections of your wall might need to be gutted.

The worst, though, is when the inspection finds damage to the foundation of your home itself. When this happens, you’re in for a long and expensive headache.

This is why it’s important to protect your home before any termite infestation occurs. To do so, set up an appointment as soon as possible. Contact us at Eden Advanced Pest Technologies in Spokane today so we can start protecting your home!