It is not uncommon to find creepy-crawlers hanging out in your home, especially during the warmest months of the year when they are thickest outside and easily make their way inside. However, there is one particularly harmful kind of pest that you might not see – termites. These insects live and travel in groups, meaning that where there is one, there is more. While you might not notice the bugs themselves, especially if the infestation is in its early stage, you will probably be able to see the results of the infestation, likely once it is too late. Because termites have a hefty appetite for wood, as in the wood that makes up the supportive structures in your home, they can cause extensive damage to your crawlspace.
If you find signs of a termite problem in your home, call an exterminator to get rid of the bugs immediately, before they take over your entire home. Then call Affordable Foundation and Home Repair to fix termite damage in your crawlspace and ensure that your home is properly supported.
What are Termites and Why are They so Dangerous?
Termites are social insects. This means that they live in colonies which require a large amount of food. When the colony of termites becomes too big for one nest, they will divide to form multiple colonies in the same area, spreading the damage further and further. Termites have a gradual and methodical method for consuming lumber that makes up the framing and supportive structures in houses, meaning that the damage may not be evident until it is quite severe. The National Pest Management Association estimates that termites cost Americans about $5 billion dollars in damage each year.
The main source of food for termites is wood. That is why they are considered the top threat for US homes. Another unfortunate fact about termites is that they are present in nearly every US state, though less common in some northern and western regions.
Normally, drywood termites infest US homes since dampwood termites require a lot more moisture. However, the crawlspace is known to be a damp area in homes and may be more likely to develop a dampwood termite problem.
Termite damage is commonly found in ceiling supports, subfloors, wall studs, and the floor supports in the crawlspace. Termites that cause damage in the crawlspace are particularly dangerous, as the crawlspace structures support the entire home.
Signs of Termite Damage in Alabama Homes
Because termite damage may not be evident without close inspection, it is important to carefully check your crawlspace and other areas of your home for other damage regularly or to have a professional inspect your home if you are concerned. In addition to the damage being difficult to spot, termites themselves can be hard to identify. Often, flocks of termites are mistaken for flying ants.
Look for these signs of termite damage in your home:
- Buckling or sagging floors
- Hardwood floor slats popping up
- Bubbles or sagging in laminate floors
- Damaged or crumbling wood
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
If your home has termite damage, it will likely look the same as any other house on the outside. Termite nests might be hidden in the walls or the crawlspace of your home for years without being detected. If you notice any of these symptoms, call an expert immediately – the longer you wait, the worse the damage will become.
We Can Repair Termite Damage in Your Home
Once you have taken care of the termites themselves, the damaged wood must be repaired and replaced. Fortunately, Affordable Foundation and Home Repair offers several services to help repair termite-damaged wood in your crawlspace.
If termites have been chowing down on the supporting posts in your crawlspace, invest in our crawlspace piers. These steel piers offer permanent support without the risk of further termite damage and are adjustable. We will transfer the weight of the home from the damaged posts to the crawlspace piers, adjusting them until the foundation is properly leveled and stabilized.
We also offer floor supports and floor joist repair for any crawlspace joists that might have been affected by termites. This repair solution involves installing several high-quality floor supports from Samson to ensure that the home above is well-supported and protected from sagging and sinking.
It may also be beneficial for you to invest in crawlspace encapsulation to keep excess moisture out of your crawlspace. This will prevent infestation of dampwood termites as well as other pests. With crawlspace encapsulation, we install a vapor barrier along the crawlspace interior to seal out water seepage and water vapor.
Call our team today to learn more about the solutions that we offer for termite damage in cralwspaces. We provide service throughout northern Alabama and southern Tennessee.
