Top Reasons You Should Be Concerned About Termites

Termites are small. In most cases, they are less than an inch long and they don’t like to be seen by humans. They like to live in damp and dark conditions, which is why they favour the space under your house.

However, just because they are small, rarely seen, and seem harmless, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be concerned about them.

If you think you have termites in your home you should speak to a specialist in termite management, they will help you eliminate the issue and identify the damage they have caused. There are several reasons to be concerned:

Termites Eat Wood

The main source of food for termites is cellulose. This is present in a variety of materials, such as decaying leaves and cardboard. However, the termites like to eat wood to get their cellulose and other dietary needs.

They also need to stay moist which is why many colonies are under houses with tunnels through the mud to the area next to the house. A colony can number thousands of termites and one colony will eat as much as six inches of 2×4 in just five months.

As you can imagine, losing a piece of wood this size from the structure of your home could give you structural issues.

Even if it doesn’t, the wood will be weakened, floorboards are likely to warp, paint on top of wood will blister, and there will be small pinholes in your wood, ruining the look.

Al in all, that can result in an expensive repair bill, termites cost billions of dollars worth of damage every year.

There Is Often More than One

Termites all have dedicated roles within their colony. Some of them are destined to mate and help the species survive. They will have wings for the mating process and then lose them as they start their own colony.

Unfortunately, most termites start new colonies close to the original, meaning you could have more than one colony under your home and twice the level of damage. That’s definitely a reason to be concerned and speak to the experts.

They Are Almost Invisible

Because they live under your home, spend most of their time in wood, and are relatively small, termites are almost invisible. That means they can be present in your home for an extended period of time without you knowing about it.

That increases the amount of damage they can do and is a good reason to be concerned.

It’s also a good reason to have a pest inspection at least once a year. They can check if there are any pest issues, including termites and eliminate them before they cause too much damage.

Be Aware Of the Signs

Alongside a regular inspection, you should regularly monitor your wood. That means looking for blistering paint, pinholes, weakness, and other signs that termites are enjoying it.

You can also check for holes in the mud around your home; These are the exit and entry tunnels for the termites.

If you think you have termites remember they can do a lot of harm, deal with them straight away.