Do you assume that a termite infestation is damaging your hardwood floor? It could be a severe issue if you are right, as termites can eat the floor. Although termites generally prefer to feed on softwood floors or support structures like floor support, they can damage hardwood parts in a house, including hardwood floors.
Besides hardwood floors, building foundations, walls, and ceiling beams are also at risk of a termite infestation. Especially if there is a colony of termites living and growing underneath your house, they can make the structure hollow and fragile.
This post will discuss why termites pose a massive threat to your hardwood floor, what the signs are, and how to get rid of termites.
What Are the Signs of Termite Attack on Hardwood Floors?
Termites do infest hardwood floors as much as soft floors and structures. However, it takes longer to damage hardwoods. When that does happen, there are some clear signs that homeowners usually overlook. Termite colonies can destroy the hardwood floors if you do not notice the signs anytime soon and leave them uncontrolled for a few years. Repairing the damage or replacing the floor would be costly.
Here are some of the signs to be aware of to find out if there is a termite infestation in your home:
Mud Tubes/Leads: Termites usually build mud tubes/shelter tubes or leads in moist places outside the house to access the interiors through tunneling.
Frass: You may find termite feces near or along wall cracks that termites use as exits. Frass pellets have a pointed shape on one end.
Squishy Wood Flooring: If parts of your hardwood floor get soft or squishy, and you can easily penetrate it with a sharp tool, it is likely to be a termite infestation issue.
Termite Swarming: This usually happens in the evenings as termites are attracted to lights, such as lamps or bulbs. After that, termites typically drop their wings, and you will see discarded wings around your house. These are visible signs of an infestation.
Empty or Hollow Sound: If tapping your hardwood floor gives an empty or hollow sound, it could be termite damage. The floor produces an open sound due to the cavities that termites leave.
Detached or Raised Floorboard: If termites eat through the beams and subfloor of your hardwood floor, they will increase or separate the floorboard.
How Can You Keep Termites off Hardwood Floors?
Your house may have been suffering from termite infestation for a long time, and the termites have been damaging your hardwood floors. The only way to find out if termites are still there is to look for fresh dung. However, this can be misleading since termite dungs are dry. After cleaning up, if wastes surface again, it is vital that there is still an active termite colony.
There are various chemical and non-chemical solutions available to treat termites. If you hire a professional termite control company, they can eliminate these insects through baiting or liquid pesticides. Termite controllers set a bait outside the colony’s entry and exit points. Termites die once they feed on them. In the second method, termite experts spray liquid pesticides on the soil around the house to kill termites. However, regular chemical solutions have not been effective. It is preferable to seek a termite control firm that uses state-registered non-repellant chemicals to eliminate termites.
If you live in San Angelo and need pest control services, you can contact MDK services pest control; they have experienced pest control service members who will eliminate the pest from your home. For more details about MDK services pest control, visit their websites: https://mdkpest.com/ or call: 325-658-3498