The United States, much like any other country, has its share of historically significant structures and monuments. For example, the Hoover Dam, the Library of Congress, the Alcatraz prison, and the Alamo are all highly valued for being long-standing and uniquely American structures. Naturally, great care is taken in order to ensure that such structures remain standing. Unfortunately, structures can come tumbling down for a variety of reasons ranging from natural disasters to terrorist attacks. Of course, we cannot forget about the many incidents of structural devastation that has been caused by termites in the country. Many people may assume that excessively small insects cannot damage structures to the extent to which hurricanes or earthquakes have in the past. However, there are several aspects of termite infestations that make them uniquely destructive. For instance, termite damage to infested structures is often not noticed until serious structural damages have been sustained. Several historically notable structures have been demolished in response to termite damages that became too extensive for renovation projects to be successfully undertaken. It will surprise most people to learn that termite damage alone has nearly brought down some of the most well known American structures. Some of the most popular historical structures in America that have sustained termite damages include Independence Hall, the White House, the Statue of Liberty, and the Alamo. Given the Alamo’s age and construction materials, officials within Texas barely managed to save the structure from a long-running and highly destructive termite infestation that had been discovered several years ago.
Back in 2003, an Alamo preservation and tourist organization called The Daughters of the Republic of Texas had a “state-of-the-art” termite baiting system installed beneath the soil that borders the Alamo. In 2002, officials noticed a termite swarm within the Alamo’s shrine area, and this was in spite of termite treatments that had already been applied to the structure. Most of the Alamo is made from stone, but termites had greatly damaged wooden beams and wood that surrounded the structure’s many doors and windows. The underground baiting system, which was new at the time, had been donated by the Dow AgroSciences organization. Luckily, the system worked and the majestic symbol of Texas’ independence still stands today. We are certified installers of the Sentricon System and offer termite baiting throughout Tucson. Call us today for a free Sentricon installation estimate!
