How To Recover From Termite Damage
What to do if you have termite damage.
Have you got termite damage in your home?
Learn what to do next here.
Can my home recover from termite damage?
In short, yes.
It is rare that termites will cause enough damage that the house is completely beyond repair. It would take years for an infestation to cause a house to be uninhabitable.
However, even a short termite infestation that's caught quickly can leave considerable damage – walls and floors can be left warped, doors and cupboards can fall off the hinges, and furniture can be damaged.
1. Make sure all the termites have been successfully treated
Termites are pests when they encounter the human environment. In their natural environment, they play a very important role in the ecosystem as decomposers of plant waste. The reason why they can cause such significant damage to a house is due to the size of their colonies. Each colony can have thousands to millions of individual termites. They equally love dark, damp spaces and won’t expose themselves to sunlight. The combination of these two things creates a deadly impact for a house when termites move in. As they can stay hidden for a long time behind walls, under flooring and other areas before you find evidence of their presence.
The impact of termites is made worse by the fact that termite damage generally is not covered by home insurance. This means homeowners feel the pain of termites twice over as they are responsible for paying for repairs. Which can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the extent of the damage. That’s why it is so important to have annual timber pest (termite) inspection by a licensed pest inspector who knows what to look for.
2. Identify all damage done
Whether you hire an expert or assess it yourself, it is important to find all the places where the termites created damage.
Compromised structural wood damage left unaddressed can threaten the stability of your home into the future.
To be safe, it is preferable for you to hire an expert who can do a check of your home.
3. Call an expert to fix the termite damage
If you notice major structural damage left over from a termite infestation, you should contact a builder as soon as possible.
Signs of major damage include small holes in the wood around your home or a darkening of the colour of your wood. If you hear a hollow sound in the timber of your home, this is another tell-tale sign.
After calling a pest control expert, calling a builder should be your next step.
4. DIY fixes to minor damage
Unfortunately, there is nothing currently available on the market which guarantees 100% protection against termites. However, there are a few things you can do around your house to minimise the chance of termites. These include:
- Repair any leaking gutters, downpipes, taps or other plumbing around the property as termites love damp areas
- Ensure there is no timber or wooden debris lying up against the house or around the yard
- Ensure water tanks, down pipes and air conditioning overflows divert properly to a drain
- Cut back any branches that overhang your roof as termites can use these branches to enter your home through the roof
- Locate or relocate mulch and garden beds away from alongside the house, if possible
- Repair any timber fungal decay around the property and previous termite damage as termites can use old termite tracks to gain entry
Stop the infestation before it starts
When it comes to termites, prevention is the best treatment.
Dedant can install a chemical barrier that protects your house from termites for 8 years. This, combined with annual termite inspections, can ensure you don't get a serious termite infestation in your home.
Call us on 07 3807 0122 or via our website for a quote.
