Repairing Termite Damage: Just How Difficult Is It?

Table of Contents

1. Signs of Termites[+]
   1. What Does Termite Damage Look Like?
2. Solving the Problem
3. Repairing Termite Damage
4. Repair Cost
5. Decorating Your Home
6. FAQs[+]
   1. Can termite damage be repaired?
   2. How can you tell if you got termites?
   3. How much does it cost to kill termites?
   4. What percentage of homes have termites?

It is estimated that termites cause American homeowners over a billion dollars in damage each year.

How can you repair your home after a termite infestation?

Following this easy guide will help you find repairing termite damage that may be fast and easy.

Signs of Termites

Most people know the classic the termites who live inside and eat wooden objects. Despite popular belief, termites will eat other materials other than wood. Termites will eat cardboard, books, and any type of paper you may have.

Termites will attack any materials containing cellulose.

The termites will stay dormant in the food sources they’re tunneling through. Most people are unaware that they have a termite infestation until they find a swarm of them.

If you suspect you may have a termite infestation, look for these physical signs.

• Multiple chewed holes within wooden surfaces
• Rippled or sunken areas (behind wallpaper)
• Mud tubes

What Does Termite Damage Look Like?

Termite damage can come in a variety of forms. Here are some things to look out for if you are inspecting your home for termite damage.

• Swarming
• Buckling wood — wood lifting a few inches off the floor
• The smell of mildew or mold

Solving the Problem

Before you can start repairing your home, you have to get rid of the problem. The best way to get rid of a termite infestation is to call an exterminator. Handling termite infestations on your own can be difficult.

A few ways you can ward off termites yourself is by setting termite bait traps outside. They go in your backyard or front lawn. Also, make sure to keep woodpiles away from your house.

These are a few preventative measures you can take yourself, but it’s best to call a pest control service.

Repairing Termite Damage

Before you start repairing termite damage, make sure there are no more termites.

Damaged wood should be repaired by a professional, according to Mr. Handyman. But there are ways to repair the damage yourself with these steps.

1. Inspect the damage
2. Remove the damaged wood — it will often look discolored, or decayed
3. Fills the chewed holes within the wood with a wood hardener
4. You can also replace the wood

Repair Cost

Repairing termite damage will vary depending on the severity of the infestation. Large infestations usually need fumigation of the home.

Treatment for termites can cost up to $35 thousand, according to an article written by CBC news in 2013.

There are also some important questions to ask pest control services before hiring them. The questions are included in this article.

Other factors

A major factor that influences the cost of repairing termite damage is the size of your home. To fumigate a person’s home for termites, the company uses gas — the larger the home, the more gas is required. A larger home will cost more to fumigate.

Some companies also charge a fee to inspect your home before they actually come in to fumigate. And that could cost you $100 to $200 extra on top of the fumigation costs.

Decorating Your Home

Once you know the signs of a termite infestation, it’s important to get rid of the problem. And put in preventative measures to make sure it doesn’t happen a second time. Hopefully, you learned that repairing termite damage isn’t as difficult as you thought.

You won’t have to worry about termites anymore, so you can put in hardwood flooring and decorate your home worry-free.

FAQs

Can termite damage be repaired?

There are two main ways to repair termite damage to wood: replace damaged wood sections entirely or add wood support adjacent to damaged wood. And, of course, don’t bother making any repairs until you know the termite issue is under control and eradicated.

How can you tell if you got termites?

If you suspect you may have a termite infestation, look for these physical signs:

1. Multiple chewed holes within wooden surfaces
2. Rippled or sunken areas (behind wallpaper)
3. Mud tubes

How much does it cost to kill termites?

Termite treatments for average-size homes are generally going for $3500 plus. The bigger the home, the added difficulties like crawl spaces, drilling of decks, garages, asphalt, sidewalks, and pulling up patio stones, all these things can add to the cost of the treatment.

What percentage of homes have termites?

A survey shows that 38% of U.S. adults worry about discovering termites in their homes, and 33% have or know someone who has experienced termite damage. Despite these concerns, more than half (52%) of Americans have never had their homes inspected.

Thank you for reading!