Areas in which houses of wood are common like the United States, also have a problem in common which is called termites. Not only wood, but termites can also damage the filters and liners of the swimming pool. Plants with bad health are the soft targets of termites along with this, they have the capability of damaging a building at any time. This is the reason that termite inspection reports are needed before buying or selling a house.
Different types:
Termites are found in many avatars but the most common ones are subterranean and dry wood termites. Damage done by subterranean termites is more severe if compared to the damage done by dry wood termites. It is because Drywood termites work in small colonies and this is the reason that they take more time in causing severe damage and they are also easy to spot. Whereas Subterranean termites work in large colonies and also go unnoticed for a long time because they drop their feces in the tunnels only.
How long do they take to damage?
The large colonies of termites along with their voracious appetites makes it difficult to give a specific damage time frame. However, according to the NC State Extension, a colony of 60,000 termites can eat up a 2×4 piece of wood in just 5 months. The powerful guts of termites that have protozoa, bacteria, and enzymes help them in digesting the cellulose, the main composition of woods. In a day, the largest colony of subterranean termites can eat a pound of wood. And as stated earlier, it is difficult to spot them, it can take a minimum of 3 or a maximum of 8 years to notice the damage done by these termites. As well as their colonies can take up to 5 years to mature fully.
Red Alerts:
Though it depends on the type of termites to identify the severity of the infestation, some signs can help you in acknowledging whether your property is under the attack of termites or not. These include
- If you notice a hollow sound after using a heavy object to tap on wood.
- Peeling of painted surfaces.
- The appearance of a lot of moist surfaces.
- Decaying wood.
- Small entry holes in walls.
- The maze-like structures on surfaces.
Termites can not only damage the walls of your property but can also damage your furniture, ceilings and if the infestation is severe, they can make your house or building collapse.
How to prevent it?
The best way to prevent the damage done by the termites is by scheduling regular inspections by professionals so that they can help in identifying the early signs of termites’ arrival. It will help in avoiding the heavy cost of repairing and the frustration.
