Termite Damage Repair

Termites eat cellulose for food, which is a major component in wood. Consequently much of your home is susceptible to termite damage if a termite colony decides to set up residency in it. Also, once termites set up home in your house, they not only eat your home but many of the contents in it including kitchen and bath cabinets, and wooden furniture.

In very short order termites can structurally weaken a home as they eat through sill plates, floor joists, and floor/wall/roof sheathing. In addition, termite damage can also lead to dry wood rot and fungus damage. The damage is not necessarily limited to the home’s structural wood supports. Termite damage on fascia boards and barge rafters often occurs as well. As soon as termites or termite damage is observed or suspected, it is best to bring in a professional exterminator to eradicate the termites from the home.

Termites can enter your home via wood that is in direct contact with the ground, or via vertical tunnels attached to the cement foundation that they create with a combination of their saliva, mud, and feces. In many cases you may actually observe flying termites swarming around an exterior wall of your home.

Consequently you should inspect your home’s foundation walls and deck posts periodically to see any telltale signs of termites entering your home.

Also, if you see dried white powdery substance near the foundation walls (inside or outside) this is also a sure sign of termite infestation. In addition, if you see maze type cracks inside your home, near the surfaces of wood materials, this is another telltale sign that a termite colony has set up shop in your home. By eradicating termites as soon as they are observed you can dramatically reduce the amount of destruction to your home. In addition, you’ll limit the termite damage repair. Once the termites have been eliminated from the home, you can then call in the professionals to assess the destruction and determine how best to make the termite damage repairs.

If the damage affects the structural members of the home such as support beams, floor joists and sill plates, the repairs can be extensive and expensive. In extreme cases plumbing lines and electrical wires may need to be removed to get access to the beams and floor joists. Depending upon the extent of the termite damage the beams or floor joists may need to be whole-sale replaced. If you’re lucky, you may be able to get away with the sistering of new lumber up against the existing beams or floor joists. Sistering is the process of fastening new lumber material to the existing lumber material.

Wall, roof and floor sheathing is also a major concern with termites. Sheathing represents a vast food source for termites, and plays an important role in maintaining the structural integrity of your home. Termites can quickly turn your wall exteriors, floors and roof into Swiss cheese, and weaken your home’s integrity in the process. Repairing termite damage to sheathing is nearly important as repairing the main structural members of the home. Again, rely on a professional’s opinion to assess if and how you should make sheathing repairs.