When termites make their way into your home, you may not notice for months or even years. And, given enough time, termites can devour wood throughout your abode by the pound. If you end up with significant structural damage, you may have to perform repairs after exterminating the termites on your property. Fortunately, some minor repairs can be performed by homeowners themselves. Let’s take a look at signs of significant wood damage, and some solutions that you can employ to ensure that your home is whole once again. As always, you can count on the termite control experts here at Arizona Termite Specialist to exterminate termites that have infiltrated your home.
Signs of Wood Damage
Since termites burrow into wood to build their colonies and to feed themselves, they can sustain themselves without leaving their wood shelter. That means that you may not even see a termite colony, even when they reside in exposed wood. So, you’ll have to inspect the wood structure of your home closely to see if you have a termite infestation and structural damage. Keep an eye out for pinholes in your wood, and termite droppings on the floor underneath these pinholes. Termites push their droppings out of small pinholes throughout the colony; look for wood-colored pellets.
You may also notice that your wood is discolored, which can indicate a serious problem. Wood will eventually discolor if termites live in a colony long enough. Look for darkened wood, or wood with mold on it — both are indications of a substantial infestation.
With severe wood deterioration, you may have structural timber that is bending, breaking, cracking, or flaking away. If you notice these signs, you must act right away in order to protect your home.
Consider a Wood Hardener
Now, some wood damage can be repaired. And fortunately, some repairs can be performed by the homeowner. If you have minor damage, or damage that has been caused to non-structural wood throughout your home, you may use a wood hardener to treat the wood. Wood hardeners saturate wood and can fill some of the cavities caused by termites. There are a number of wood hardeners available in stores and online. You can purchase a wood hardener from a hardware store, then follow the instructions on the packaging to apply it properly.
Replace Excessively Damaged Wood
For more severe damage, you may have to replace wood components throughout your home. Unless you’re quite handy, you’ll have to hire a contractor to ensure that your home remains supported as wood structure is carefully removed and replaced, or reinforced with new components. Be mindful that these projects can be expensive, so it’s crucial to act immediately at the first signs of termite damage. Better yet, have your home inspected every year or two to mitigate the odds of termite damage going unnoticed.
Stop Termite Damage Today
Here at Arizona Termite Specialist, we aim to protect your home from damage, before it becomes a headache and a costly problem. That’s why we provide free inspections for homeowners. Count on us to thoroughly examine your home, including those hard-to-reach places that termites love to settle in! If you’d like to schedule an appointment, simply reach out to us today. We provide termite control services throughout Phoenix, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Gilbert, Mesa, and Peoria.
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