One morning , you ’re vacuuming the hardwood floors and accidently bump into the skirting board in your sustenance room . Instead of feeling a strong resistance , the attachment extend through the flaccid wood ! After test , you discover evidence of a termite plague . What ’s next ? How extended is the hurt ? And how expensive will it be to revivify ?
unluckily , since it can take three to eight years of plague for preindication of termite equipment casualty to become evident , the little creature can get a lot of job to the wood inside and outside your family before they ’re pick up .
Subterranean termites stimulate more than $ 1 billion in harm to base in the United States each twelvemonth [ source : Suiter ] . A householder ’s expense to bushel major damage can run into tens of 1000 of dollars , and fixture are usually not covered by insurance policy . Signs that a house is infested with termites admit the sudden appearing of winged termites emerge from a structure , white ant - infest woodwind , or the bearing of termite shelter tube on wood surfaces . You might have a problem if you poke the suspected Mrs. Henry Wood with a screwdriver and the tip goes in easy , or hear a empty sound when you tap it with the handgrip .
Termites are n’t the only insect that can cause harm . Carpenter ants see for damp and decayed wood to drill tunnels , and can cause significant morphologic damage . Carpenter bees drill rotund entry pickle into woods found on eaves , decks and railroad siding , then create tunnel for their colonies once inside . Powderpost beetle are another damaging insect ; calculate on their species , they may attack softwood used for floor joists , wall studs , and other structural lumber or hardwood used for console , furniture , floors , and interior trim and moldings [ root : Houselogic ] .
How do you come near repairing the wood damage to your home ? The first whole step is to have an expert inspect your house to shape the extent of the legal injury . If the scathe is minimal , it might make sensory faculty to simply cover for termites or other pestis . The goal is to eliminate them from the wood before they do greater damage , and repaint to cover any ocular equipment casualty . Be certain to get disembarrass of any wet job that might cause the woodwind to continue to deteriorate .
If the damage is not too extensive , you might be able-bodied to restore morphological intensity to the Grant Wood using an epoxy resin handling . epoxy resin commingle up like biscuit dough , can be molded into form while it ’s damp , and then carved and trimmed like wood when it is dry . Once painted , the epoxy glue - patched wood looks good as young [ reference : The Family Handyman ] . This substance is extremely undestroyable and impervious to insects , and is a good solution for hangout on windowpane sills , door jambs , molding , or exterior columns that are difficult to remove and expensive to replace . In some areas of your menage , you may be capable to supersede and repair the damage wood using an epoxy glue filler to shut down the gaps . An experienced do - it - yourselfer could undertake either approach , or call in a carpenter for a professional touch .
If the louse damage is more extreme and the woods framing and innovation is impacted , it ’s clip to call in a structural expert who will be capable to recommend how to proceed with repairing the equipment casualty .
