All types of termite species can take up residence in numerous areas within your California home.
While the exterior foundations and wooden siding on the home are the most common locations to find termite infestations, they are not the only areas where there could be termite colonies within the home.
In addition to these locations, termites live in attics, crawlspaces, garages, sheds, workshops, hardwood flooring, subflooring, staircases, and solid wood kitchen cabinets.
Nationwide, termites cause an estimated $5 billion in household damages annually, with most homeowners spending on average around $3,000 for wood repair.
Inspecting your home for signs of termites is necessary on a regular basis. You can perform an initial inspection on your own by looking for specific signs, or contact one of our California pest management professionals for a complete whole house inspection.
Where to start looking for termites
Start your inspection at the base of the slab foundation or location of the edge of the floor if you own a home with a sub-ground foundation. Termites gain entry to your home through small openings, cracks, crevices, and crawl space venting. Look for signs where the wood looks like it is rotting or is recessed in specific locations, as these might be signs of termites.
Next, inspect your subflooring and hardwood floors and stairs for depressed areas, floor sagging, and board buckling. As the termites eat through the wood in the subfloor and hardwood flooring and stairs, it causes the wood to weaken.
Another indication of potential termite infestations is that of small piles of what looks like sawdust against baseboards and in between pieces of hardwood flooring. Remember to open up solid wood cabinets and inspect doors, shelving, and the interior of the cabinets while looking for sawdust piles and small holes in the wood.
Where do termites build colonies?
Subterranean termites establish colonies within the ground and travel to nearby sources of wood in your home, including your garage, storage shed, and workshop. They can eat the wood on tools, firewood, and spare lumber, as well as the wood of a structure.
Other species of termites have adapted so they do not have to live in the ground and are instead able to build their colonies above ground. These termites favor building nests in attics and crawlspaces, where it is dark and damp.
After completing a detailed house inspection, if you find termites, you need to contact your Pacific Coast Termite termite technician to resolve the infestation.
Once we have eradicated the termites from your California home, the next step is for us to repair or replace all the damaged wood. Our wood service division is often able to perform these repairs as part of an overall customized package based on your individual needs and requirements.
Even if there are no signs of termites currently in your California home, you will want to protect your home against infestations. Sooner or later, termites are going to find their way to your home, and ensuring it is protected avoids costly repairs later. Contact us, here at Pacific Coast Termite, by calling 1-800-PACIFIC (1-800-722-4342) or completing our inspection form online to schedule your free professional home inspection.