Suspecting signs of termite infestation in your home is worrisome. Like most pests, they’re niggly, hard to detect, and capable of unimaginable destruction. If left unattended, they can grow into colonies that feast ferociously on wooden structures around your property. And in the end, you can incur immense costs for renovation.
While termites are tasking to tackle, repairing their damages can be twice as draining. On average, it costs thousands of dollars to revamp a home with no typical insurance coverage. Not to forget, the size and type of property and the degree of invasion are other determinants of financial requirements.
Nevertheless, the good news here is that restoring the fancy of your dwelling is doable. And once you catch an infestation early, you must wield management immediately. In most cases, reaching out to a pest control company will come in handy.
Types of Termite Damage
Termite destruction is classified into basically:
- Cosmetic damage. This involves tainted wall paints, wallpaper, flooring, etc. Often, to remedy that, you’ll have to apply a new coat to the chipped painting, refurnish the stained floor, change your wallpaper and replace or retouch destroyed furniture.
- Structural damage. Here, termites can eat deep into your foundation, ceiling joists, support beams, wall studs, and door or window frames. These problems are quite challenging to repair, time-consuming, and more expensive. Also, enough support must be provided during the process to keep the home’s integrity.
Signs of Termite Damage
There are notable indications of termite infestation. If you are conducting a home inspection, look out for the following.
- Damaged cellulose-containing materials– Termites are cellulose lovers, and so far an item contains it, they feed on them. Examples are books, asbestos, wood, frames, floor coverings (rugs and carpets), etc.
- Mud Tubes– These are trails made on surfaces frequented or previously traveled by termites. Once you see this sign, it’s affirmative of an infestation.
- Droppings– Termites shed their wings and leave their fecal matter in piles, resembling grains of sand.
- Maze-like inscriptions on wooden structures– The holes and gnaw marks you discover on your furniture are pointers that they’ve been in your home for a while.
- Buckling ceiling and walls– You’ll likely also notice cracks on your walls, floor blisters, and destabilized roofing.
It’ll be best if you’re on the watch for any of these signs to know about an infestation before it gets out of hand.
When to Call a Specialist to Fix a Termite Damage
After detecting termite infestation on your property, the scope of destruction must be estimated quickly. This is where a repair specialist comes in. Because sometimes, the damage may not be extensive as envisaged. And discovering that early will save you time and money.
If you’re hunting for a new apartment and unearth termite colonies on-site, work closely with the seller to rectify the issue. That’s because if you don’t, you could end up catering to the repair cost alone. Whereas it’s not your mess in the first place.
For other pest invasions, you can hire a licensed expert to remedy them with effective treatment solutions.