Termites:
It is difficult, yet important,
for home owners to recognize termite infestations. The consequences for
not identifying a termite infestation are house-threatening. The best advice
is to have your home inspected by a professional before you buy it. If
you already own a home and have seen signs of infestation, have it inspected
now.
There are different types of
termites, we’ll limit our infomation to subterranean termites, that is,
those species that make their home in the ground near a source of moisture,
warmth, and wood. Subterranean termites send their workers to find food
for the colony, starting in the lower portions of the home; when food (any
cellulose containing material) is found, the party begins and damage is
inflicted upon the home.
Termite tastes vary, they will
feed not only on the wooden framing of the home, they also enjoy wooden
flooring materials, and sub-flooring. Appetizers can include, paper on
sheetrock walls, newspapers, magazines and just about anything that contains
cellulose.
There are steps that can be taken
to reduce the risk of a termite infestation. Be sure that there is no wood
to earth contact of any portions of the home, do not allow wooden landscape
chips in flower beds to contact the siding of the home. Keep leaders and
gutters clean and free flowing to reduce the moisture content in and about
the home.
Termites are like people who
eat Oreo cookies from the inside out; they eat a wooden beam inside leaving
only a thin shell on the outside and this makes it difficult to find termites.
Signs of termites include damaged wood, termite shelter tubes (sand colored
tubes about the thickness of a pencil), termite wings, a termite swarm,
and of course, loud termite music and noisy termite party goers.
How Termites Enter The Home
The most common termite, the
subterranean, builds its nest in the ground. These termites construct mud
tubes which are used to explore for food and connect their underground
nest to that food source. They can enter a building without direct wood
contact with the soil through such tubes.
Termites can enter buildings
through cracks, expansion joints, hollow bricks or concrete blocks around
plumbing. They can find their way into a structure through an opening as
small as 1/32 of an inch.
Any building, whether constructed
with slab, basement or crawl space foundations, can be targets for termite
infestation.
Some of the signs an inspector will
look for are:
Mud Tunnels: Subterranean termites
maintain their headquarters in the ground and build "mud tubes" that connect
the nest (moisture) to the food source (wood). Swarmers: The appearance
of a swarm of "flying ants" indicates a nest may be near. Swarming is most
common in the spring.
Piles of wings: The shed wings
of swarmers indicate termites have entered their next phase of development.
Live termites: Reproductive kings
and queens are 1/2" long, winged and black or brown in color. Workers are
sterile and usually hidden within infested wood. They are 1/4" long, wingless
and white.
Damaged wood: Wood may appear
crushed at structural bearing points. Termite damaged wood resonates with
a dull thud when tapped with a hammer. Pick and probe the surface of an
infested piece of wood with a pen knife and you will find tunnels running
parallel to the wood's grain.
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Mark Pierce
Oregon Certified Home Inspector
503-757-7784
OCHI #345-PCO
#153495 WSDA WDO #61752
