Hardwood floors are expensive and quite precious in a home. Therefore, taking care of them is almost a necessity. However, if you have a termite infestation of any sort, your hardwood floors could be in severe danger of being destroyed. That said, you should know how to identify the types of termites that can damage your hardwood floors and how to fix them.
In this article, I will talk about the different types of termites that you need to be aware of and the things you can do to fix any damage caused to your hardwood floors!
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Signs of termites in your home and hard wood floors.
Termites are small, brownish-black insects that live in colonies and feed on dead wood. They are very discreet and can often go unnoticed until they have caused significant damage to a home.
There are essentially three predominant types of termites that are most common in the United States- subterranean, drywood, and Formosan. Each type of termite requires different methods of treatment.
Therefore, there are multiple species of termites that can damage your home. The subterranean termite is the most common and lives underground. They build mud tubes to travel above ground and will often eat the wood in your foundation.
The drywood termite lives in furniture and wooden objects and eats the wood from the inside out.
Finally, the cavity-nesting termite lives in tree stumps, fence posts, or any other piece of rotting wood they can find. They will often hollow out the wood, making it structurally unsound.
If you feel like you can spot any of the abovementioned signs of an infestation, you should call a termite specialist to investigate and repair the damage.
In addition, termite damage can be very noticeable in the later stages of damage caused by a termite infestation and is often mistaken for water damage. Termites cause wood to swell and warp, which can lead to ceilings and floors becoming buckled and damp.
In some cases of an extensive infestation, you may even be able to smell the termites themselves, as they emit a mildewy smell.
Termites are small and extremely hard-to-see creatures that can cause a lot of damage to your home if left untreated. That said, they often go unnoticed until it’s far too late and the damage has been done. If you’re worried about termites, be on the lookout for these signs:
– Mud tubes on the exterior of your home
– Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
– Damage to wood trim or furniture
The Types of Termites That Can Damage Your Hardwood Floors and How To Fix Them!
Termites are very discreet in their feeding habits; they eat dead wood. This means that homeowners may not know they have a termite problem until significant damage has been done. Termites can be categorized into three types: subterranean, drywood, and Formosan.
Each type of termite exhibits different signs of its presence in a home. For example, subterranean termites will leave mud tubes on the exterior of a building, drywood termites will create tiny holes in furniture, and Formosan termites will create large cavities in wood.
If you suspect you have a termite problem, it is important to call a professional right away.
These pests, as I mentioned earlier, typically live in the wood itself, and their presence can often be detected through a buckling, swelling, or warping in the wood on your floor and in your wooden ceilings, and a mildew smell that the termites themselves exude.
Subterranean termites are more common in Northern California, and they can tunnel through the soil to get to your home.
They typically live in the soil itself, and their presence can often be detected through mud tubes that they build near the foundation of your home.
Both these types of termites can cause large amounts of damage if left untreated, so it’s important to be aware of the signs and take action if you think you might have a problem.
Below, I have talked about the different types of termites that can damage your hardwood floors and what you can do to fix your hardwood flooring!
Subterranean Termites
Subterranean termites are the most common and destructive type of termite in the United States. This species of termites live underground and build their nests there, which can cause serious damage to your home if left untreated.
Because these termites live underground anyway, they find it easier to get into your home through foundation cracks by constructing mud tubes or by coming in contact with wood that is touching your house.
Once they are in, they can do a lot of damage to the wooden structures in your home.
Subterranean termites live in colonies of hundreds of thousands of individuals and prefer humid and damp areas such as basements, bathrooms, and attics.
Subterranean termites are extremely prevalent in the United States of America, and they can do a lot of damage to your home and your pocket if they’re not kept in check. One way to prevent them from invading is by proper ventilation through your house and keeping humidity levels low.
If you do have subterranean termites, there are ways to fix the damage they’ve done, but the best prevention is always better than cure.
Drywood Termites
There are three types of termites that can damage your home: drywood, subterranean, and Formosan.
Drywood termites are the second most common type in the US and make their nests in drier conditions- making them more likely to invade a home through wood exposure or by way of infested furniture.
Many of these termites can also travel long distances in search of food. If you believe that you may have a drywood termite problem, it is important to get professional help right away.
They typically eat through large wood sections, often going against the grain to get to the softer parts of the wood.
One classic way to tell if you have a drywood termite infestation is by looking for piles of excrement that will look similar to fine grains of sand.
If you notice these piles near your furniture or walls, make sure to check for an entrance to a termite tunnel and see whether you have an infestation.
Dampwood Termites
Dampwood termites are a type of termite that lives in moist wood. These termites don’t need to be living under the soil in order to enter the foundation of your home. Since dampwood termites are attracted to moisture, they can often be found near leaky pipes or in basements.
They, too, can cause significant damage to wooden structures, including hardwood floors, if left untreated.
Dampwood termites can make their way into a home through contact with damp lumber or even water-damaged areas of the house.
Unlike other types of termites, they don’t need direct contact with soil in order to survive and will often build their colonies in moist tree stumps, fallen logs, and other decaying wood sources.
Since these termites specifically feed on the moisture in wood, it makes them a common problem for homeowners with hardwood floors.
If you notice damage to your flooring that seems to be caused by termites, it is crucial to have a professional inspection of your home for dampwood termites and take corrective action.
How can you fix the damage to your hardwood floors caused by a termite infestation?
Now, fixing the damage to your hardwood floors caused by a termite infestation can be an expensive process if the damage is too extensive.
To protect your home from collapsing, you will first need to inspect the wooden beams and the wooden foundation of your house to ensure that their integrity has not been compromised.
Once your entire house has been inspected, you can make a decision as to whether you need extensive work or not.
If there is excess damage, you will have to hire a professional to replace the damaged woodwork with new slabs or beams of hardwood. You can also use a sealant or pesticide to get rid of the termites.
As I said, if the damage is extensive, it might be easier to hire a professional to do the repair work. They will have the experience and the tools necessary to fix the damage and make sure that the termites do not come back.
If, however, the damage caused by the termite infestation is not extensive, you could opt for a cheaper DIY option! You can fill the damage with wood filler and a putty knife. This will often solve the problem without requiring additional steps.
Conclusion
Termite damage is no joke. Even though it may not sound like a big deal, remember that structures can collapse if the termite damage is large enough to compromise the structural integrity of the wood used in the structure.
Moreover, if you don’t pay attention to the signs of a termite infestation in your home, repairing and fixing the damage to your hardwood floors can be an expensive process!
