Subterranean Termites – The Real Threat

Even though there are many species of termites the one that can cause the most damage to our homes is the subterranean species. These termites eat wood from the inside out, so you won't necessarily realize that your wood is being hollowed out through termite activity because they leave the outer layers intact.

This means that you might be living in a termite infested home and not even know that your home’s foundation is being eaten away. How the damage happens is by having the termites build a colony in the soil underneath your home. Then, slowly, termites will start consuming the wood found in the framing of the house. Even though subterranean termites consume living organisms some times, they mostly consume dead plant matter.

Subterranean termites are extremely destructive, because they tunnel their way to wooden structures, into which they burrow to obtain food. Termites all share a similar trait. They have an endless appetite for wood and other cellulose-containing materials. Termites spread underground. Termite colonies can expand by sending their workers to find new foraging grounds. That means that if your neighbour has termites, chances are you will be getting them soon if you don’t have them already.

Most termite damage in Toronto is caused by subterranean termites. If you think you have termites you should brace yourself for the extermination bill as termite control and extermination usually starts at over $1000 per residence.

Termite Damage

Termites can cause a lot of damage to a home. Especially sub terrenean species that live underground. The damage begins once the termites start gaining access to wood beams from their tunnels located deep underground. Once they start gaining access to such wooden beams termites will start eating away the wood. The process is slow and serious damage can take many years to appear.

Termite damage can be small and subtle, but when you look around your property, it can be a little more obvious especially when you know what to look for. It is a good idea to periodically inspect your property yourself to see if you can find any termite damage.

To check if you have termite damage you should consider tapping on the wood you think is damaged. If you tap with a metal object and you hear a hollow sound then chances are that termites have been eating away the wood.
It would be hard to spot termite damage visually as most of the damage is under the surface of the wood. Certain termite colonies might produce debris and start showing remnants of the soil covering that termites construct over their excavated tunnels.

You shouldn’t start repairing the damages from termites until you are certain that all the termites have been exterminated. If you spot termite damage on or near your home, react quickly to minimize further destruction. Speak to a certified termite exterminator to help you deal with the situation.

General Information on Termites

Termites are small organisms that live underneath the ground. These subterranean organisms construct small structures that retain enough moisture for their survival. Termites are insects which live in colonies with a similar social structure to ants. In these colonies, there are workers and reproducing termites. The workers role is to provide food for the whole colony and tend to the needs of the queen. There are also soldier termites which have a purpose to defend the colony.

Termites have the ability to survive almost indefinitely in any kind of saturated soil, as long as there is no water. The absence of water is essential for termite survival as it can flood termite colony tunnels. Termites can cause damage to not only living trees and shrubs, but also to dead wood used for the construction of homes. Termites are often called the “silent destroyer” because they may be secretly hiding and thriving in your basement or yard without any immediate signs of damage.

Buildings and especially wooden structures can become infested by termites. These creatures can consume dead wood matter and thus cause structural damage on the foundation of the house. If you are buying a house then you should certainly have someone perform a termite inspection to determine whether the house has an infestation. Termites can cause extensive damage to a home which can in turn cost a lot of money to repair.