Termites are small and look a little like ants. They tend to avoid human contact which means you may not see them until you have a serious infestation. Unfortunately, this means they have plenty of time to do damage to your home.
It’s estimated that one colony can eat through 6 inches of 2×4 wood in just five months. Alongside this, the colony will multiply and new colonies can be created near the original. That means you could have several colonies operating under your home.
The key to preventing this from being an issue is to invest in professional termite management. This means your home will be regularly inspected and signs of termites spotted early. It allows effective treatment and minimizes the damage that termites can do.
It will also save you money as termite damage can be expensive to fix.
Your Furniture
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Termites eat wood. Therefore, if you have wooden furniture they will quite happily eat it. If undetected the furniture will eventually become unsafe and unusable. Termites can enter your wood furniture through your house but, they can also be introduced to your home through the furniture. Be extra vigilant if buying used furniture.
You’ll want to inspect it for tiny pinholes, these are a sign that termites have been or are in the furniture.
Floors
Termites will also eat floors, wooden walls, and even wooden windows. If it’s made of wood they can eat it. If this happens your window frames and the floor will eventually become crumbly and soft. This is when you are likely to experience an accident as the window can fall out or you can put a foot through the floor.
Structural Damage
Perhaps the most concerning type of damage is structural. Many Australian houses are made with wooden frames. That means wood is set on a base of concrete and this creates the support structure or frame of your home. Cladding, insulation, plumbing, and electrics are all added to make your property.
Termites generally prefer to live under the house where it is damp and they can go unnoticed. This often gives them access directly to the wooden frame of the house.
Once they start eating through this it is simply a matter of time before the wood is no longer capable of supporting the structure above it. You’ll notice parts of the house start to sag and the problem will get worse unless the termites are eliminated and the damage repaired.
Preventing Damage
The best way to prevent termites from damaging your home is to have regular inspections to ensure you don’t have termites. But, alongside this, you should look at your home carefully. Adding concrete around the edge of the building will make it harder for termites to enter your foundations. Sealing up all gaps will do the same. You can even use bait traps to alert you to their presence and kill any that have arrived.
The earlier you catch the issue the less damage they can cause.
