How Quickly Can Termites Cause Damage to Your Home?
WouterTermites can be a serious threat to homes. They can damage and destroy wooden structures. They eat wood, and they create tunnels. They also leave small entry holes. This means that termite damage can go undetected for years.
Depending on the type of wood, termite damage can take a couple of years to appear. The amount of damage depends on the size of the colony and the environment. A single termite can eat a quarter of a cubic foot of wood in five months. A termite colony can grow to more than a million, and the amount of structural damage can be enormous.
A subterranean termite colony may eat one pound of wood a day. A drywood termite colony is smaller and more isolated. They are often found in the southern United States. Termite damage from subterranean termites can go unnoticed for years.
To avoid a termite attack, you should keep the house clean and provide proper ventilation. If there is an area of the home that is especially vulnerable, such as in the basement, you can consider installing an aluminum layer or a barrier.
If you suspect a termite infestation, you should call a professional pest control technician. A technician can physically eliminate the colony, or you can use a termiteicide.
Termite colonies are hierarchical. The king and queen are the reproductive members of the colony. They must reproduce several times before the colony is fully developed. They then start to expand, creating more and more of the colony.
