When you think about potential damages to your house, they usually revolve around fire, natural disasters, and theft. These factors are noticeable in most cases, and you can handle them shortly or gradually.
However, there is a quiet threat generating a $5 billion annual cost for American householders.
They are wood-destroying insects (WDI)—a nightmare for any owner or seller. The expense above applies to termites only, so the total number (including other WDIs) might quadruple.
Many Texas residents wait until their house structure worsens and see their money evaporate with sky-high repair charges.
That’s why we want you to take precautions before those unwelcomed insects finish eating your wood-made furniture and other components.
Popular WDIs in Frisco, TX.
You might wonder which wood borers threaten your house’s safety; it’s essential to understand how these animals work, expand their colonies, and wreck premises. Here are common WDIs in your local area:
- Subterranean termites: These folks are responsible for the most damage to Frisco’s homeowners. They are usually active in the foundation and build mud tubes to access food supplies which are, you’re right, wood-based items.
You can list drywall, support beams, and particle board as termites’ favorites.
Because its activities might be hard to notice, you can’t imagine how quiet and devastating they go from seeking high-moisture environments to building colonies.
Getting rid of them can save you many renovation costs, and we’re talking about more than thousands of dollars.
- Drywood termites: They typically work on surfaces and build their nests right in the wood, where they can discard water. Frames, baseboards, and banisters are their primary food options.
Their damages are enormous since they work night and day and don’t require much moisture for existence, making it easier for them to feed on wooden materials and expand their colonies.
These dry-wood termites are the fastest borers in the WDI world.
The good news is that you can detect them easier than the Subterranean, thanks to their huge mandibles and fecal pellets excreted on the wooden items.
When you notice signs of their infestation, quickly contact a termite inspection team to handle the issues. The professional technician will ensure the finest treatment for dry-wood termites.
- Carpenter ants: The name tells all; they dig into wood-made items to build their nests. Its unique feature is that they don’t eat wood but usually exploit it as a tunnel to their food sources.
This harm can make your furniture hollow inside and become fragile. Also, their bites are highly painful and can inflict burns on human skin.
Carpenter ants are super active in warm months and choose wood rot to attack, including fences, decks, and porches. They can also enhance the infestation with cracks in the wall exteriors, doors, and windows.
Although the queen ants lay only 20 eggs at a time on average, it’s a big mistake to underrate their devastation to your house.
Because ant workers expand their satellite colonies exponentially, you’ll find yourself in a financial drama when these WDIs finish their jobs.
Many insurance companies don’t cover the expenses caused by carpenter ant’s damages.
So take the phone and call your pest control professional before it’s too late.
- Powderpost beetles: You might feel somewhat unfamiliar with these wood borers, but they can make your premise endure structural decay.
Some species of powderpost beetles adapt to both hardwoods (including walnut and hickory) and softwoods (including porch pillars) for food supplies.
You can notice their infestation through door frames, hardwood floors, wood paneling, etc.
The most distinctive sign is small exit holes on the surface—the aftermath when mature beetles swallow enough wood inside to nourish their adulthood.
Meanwhile, females lay eggs on the unfinished wood, and young ones proliferate during spring or summer to start boring your wood-based items.
Popular species include anobiids, lyctids, and bostrichids. Their gradual harms always bring on constant headaches for Texan house owners since mature beetles are quiet during the day and busy at night.
You might witness their damages before seeing them. Therefore, if you spot any small feces and tiny holes on the wood exterior, make sure to seek advice from pest control specialists.
Top-shelf tips to prevent future infestation
- Fix your leaky pipes and AC units immediately.
- Get rid of damaged tree stumps.
- Lay your mulch +15 inches away from the underground.
- Keep your garage, crawl spaces, and attics dry and neat.
- Seal gaps in your sidings and walls.
- Repair the chimneys, roofs, and window trim.
- Dump dead trees and make loads of wood dry, especially in your yard and garden.
- Block ants’ invasion by storing your unused food in closed containers.
- Monitor plants inside your house.
- Clear any gutter in the clog.
Why do you need a WDI inspection?
Although some WDIs need several months to cause marked deterioration, you might encounter more than one borer at a time. That’s because all these insects like to access wood for existence and colony development.
As a homeowner, you never want to live with non-stop squeaky sounds made by termites or floors rotten by powder-post beetles. These nuisances, however, are nothing compared to this vital aspect: your family’s safety.
WDIs are 100% hard-working machines digging, invading, and eating all house components until you realize it’s too late.
If you plan to sell the house, it’s 100% fair for buyers to have the premise checked for any potential WDI. Removing these insects can boost curb appeal and ensure adequate protection for the future owner.
Some owners hold off on their WDI inspection and stretch the budget massively for home improvements.
Depending on the damage severity, you’ll never anticipate exactly how much you have to pay for the price you can avoid with pest control professionals.
That’s why a Wood Destroying Insect Inspection is crucial to determine your house’s structural problems. It offers a thorough analysis based on all premise elements, meaning any deficiencies will be on the professional’s radar.
Furthermore, the report covers all red flags related to house safety. The inspector will tell you what parts you should repair before your spending plan goes awry with constant purchases for unfixable items (furniture, doors, attic, support beams, etc.)
Residents in Frisco have saved tons of money after seeking consultation from our licensed inspectors.
At Kissee Inspection Services, we also provide detailed pictures to help you understand what is happening with the house structure and its potential issues.
Your house safety is our top priority.
Rack up your Free Quote here and schedule your WDI inspection today.