Termites Love Water Damaged Wood

9/11/2019 (Permalink)

Termites can cause destructive damage to your home

The American Dream of most people has always included owning their own home. While renting is sometimes the more practical approach, there is just something special about being able to call the place you live your very own. There are so many things one can do when they own their home…remodel, add on a room, investing in the upkeep and improvements of your dream home.

With that being said, the most important thing one can do involves preserving the value and structure of their house. This is much more important than all the decorating and beautifying of the home. At the top of the list of things that cause damage is moisture. Moisture causes multiple problems that include mildew, mold, rotting and decaying of wood and damaging painted surfaces. This list of moisture problems creates unsightly appearances, health issues and structural damage. Excessive water or moisture in the home also allows the potential of another scary problem—termites! Termites love water-damaged wood.

Termites are one of the a homeowner’s greatest enemies. They are often referred to as Silent Destroyers. You may think this risk or threat does not affect you because you purchased your home not long ago and it was considered to be free of termites. The structure of your home may still be compromised because termites do their damage from the inside out and go undetected until the damage is extensive.

Many homeowners fail to recognize all the water and moisture problems that exist in their house. It does not require a mass flood or standing water for water damage to occur. In fact, you may be causing water damage to your home every time you take a shower or use the toilet. Of course the answer to this is not to stop showering or using the bathroom! However, you should periodically check the caulking around the shower stall or tub. Cracked or missing caulking can cause the wooden structure to be exposed to water and cause wet, decaying wood.

Another common, slow water leak is under the toilet where it connects to the floor. A slow leak may occur over a period of time allowing the subfloor under the toilet to stay wet. Again, this will cause the wood to always be wet and decay and attract those destructive termites.

Termites constantly need to be surrounded by moisture. They live several feet under the surface of the ground, thriving in the damp, cool dirt. They even build tunnels through which they travel as they make their way into your house foraging for their food; damp, water-damaged wood!

Keep your home dry and free of excess moisture and decaying wood. Repair any leaks, replace cracked or missing caulking, keep taking those showers and you will be able to enjoy your American dream home for many years!