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Termite Damage Repair
Repairing Termite Damage is Critical for
Protecting the Structural Integrity of Your Home
By: Mark J. Donovan
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Termite damage repair should
be done after first eradicating the home of termites. When assessing how
to repair termite damage it may be wise to call in a structural engineer
or architect. Repairing termite damage can be costly depending upon the
extent and type of damage to the home. In severe cases, such as the
damage of floor joists and sills, they may need to be outright replaced.
In addition, most homes have electrical wiring and plumbing running
through or adjacent to floor joists and band joists.
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Consequently the electrical wiring
and plumbing may need to be first removed to get access to the destroyed floor
joists.
Termites eat cellulose for food, which is a major component in wood.
Consequently much of your home is susceptible to termite damage if a termite
colony decides to set up residency in it. Also, once termites set up home in
your house, they not only eat your home but many of the contents in it including
kitchen and bath cabinets, and wooden furniture.
In very short order termites can structurally weaken a home as they eat through
sill plates, floor joists, and floor/wall/roof sheathing. In addition, termite
damage can also lead to dry wood rot and fungus damage. The damage is not
necessarily limited to the home’s structural wood supports. Termite damage on
fascia boards and barge rafters often occurs as well.
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As soon as termites or termite damage
is observed or suspected, it is best to bring in a professional exterminator to
eradicate the termites from the home. Termites can enter your home via wood that
is in direct contact with the ground, or via vertical tunnels attached to the
cement foundation that they create with a combination of their saliva, mud, and
feces. In many cases you may actually observe flying termites swarming around an
exterior wall of your home.
Consequently you should inspect your home’s foundation walls and deck posts
periodically to see any telltale signs of termites entering your home.
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Also, if you see dried white powdery
substance near the foundation walls (inside or outside) this is also a sure sign
of termite infestation. In addition, if you see maze type cracks inside your
home, near the surfaces of wood materials, this is another telltale sign that a
termite colony has set up shop in your home.
By eradicating termites as soon as they are observed you can dramatically reduce
the amount of destruction to your home. In addition, you’ll limit the termite
damage repair. Once the termites have been eliminated from the home, you can
then call in the professionals to assess the destruction and determine how best
to make the termite damage repairs. If the damage affects the structural members
of the home such as support beams, floor joists and sill plates, the repairs can
be extensive and expensive. In extreme cases plumbing lines and electrical wires
may need to be removed to get access to the beams and floor joists. Depending
upon the extent of the termite damage the beams or floor joists may need to be
whole-sale replaced. If you’re lucky, you may be able to get away with the
sistering of new lumber up against the existing beams or floor joists. Sistering
is the process of fastening new lumber material to the existing lumber material.
Wall, roof and floor sheathing is also a major concern with termites. Sheathing
represents a vast food source for termites, and plays an important role in
maintaining the structural integrity of your home. Termites can quickly turn
your wall exteriors, floors and roof into Swiss cheese, and weaken your home’s
integrity in the process. Repairing termite damage to sheathing is nearly
important as repairing the main structural members of the home. Again, rely on a
professional’s opinion to assess if and how you should make sheathing repairs.
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