Pest Wood Damage
Termites
In the Upstate area, termites live in the ground and need moisture to survive. There are many species (over 2,000), but the ones here come from the dirt. They eat damp wood near the ground, but they can also eat walls and ceilings if the wood stays wet. This can happen if there’s a roof leak or a plumbing leak in a wall cavity. You can see early signs of their damage in the small tunnels they make between the wet ground and the wood. If the damage is worse, there will be holes and tunnels in the wood. Some boards may be completely eaten and crumble easily.
You need a professional to treat termite damage before making any repairs. The queen lives up to 12ft underground and produces hundreds of offspring a day. Treating the termites that are visible is only a small part of solving the problem. Without killing the queen, you will still have a problem. Boards with damage should also be replaced or supported with new lumber.
To avoid attracting these pesky bugs, you can do preventive treatments and control moisture. Unfortunately, most home insurance policies don’t cover termite damage. In order to protect your home, treat for termites and check for problems every year.
Powderpost beetles
These nasty bugs boar little holes in the wood and gobble things up. They are far less common in our area and tend to prefer older, harder lumber to go after. This means they are much more common in older homes and rarely seen in new homes. The tiny holes in the wood may seem harmless, but they can cause significant wood damage to houses.
Treating these bugs is harder than termites because they lay eggs and hide them deep in the wood. They also like a nice, moist environment so keeping things dry is one of the best first lines of defense against most home problems. That advice will come up over and over from us for a number of reasons.
We Can Help
At Upstate Structural Repair, we are skilled in making your home safer and more reliable—no guesswork, no pressure. We’ll inspect your home, walk you through the options, and offer a free estimate to help you make the right decision.
