Hearing “you’ve got serious termite damage” is every property owner’s worst nightmare, but it’s not a death sentence. Okay, I admit. Termites can cause billions of dollars in damage. However, if they are discovered early enough, the damage can be fixed without too much of a hassle.
What separates termite damage from other hazards like fire, floods or wind damage is its subtleness. Termites can infest foundation timbers and wall studs for many years without any visible signs of damage. A single colony can multiply into numerous colonies with several feeding sites and entry points. Termites destroy wood and are capable of ruining your home’s structural timbers, including floor supporters, wall studs, posts and ceiling supporters. They can as well destroy other non-structural components like carpet, furniture, paneling and drywall paperboards.
A house with serious damage from termites looks the same as any other house on the surface. Termites build nests concealed inside walls, causing damage for many years undetected. If termite invasion goes unnoticed, your home can suffer major damage.
Here are some steps your should take if you have had termite damage:
Step One: Termite Inspection
Before you start cleaning up the mess, make sure all termites are gone. If you still have termites roaming around your home, then their signs will also be visible on the exterior. The perimeter of your home and the foundation should be thoroughly inspected for termite tubes and actual termites. It is wise to call upon the help of a termite specialist to identify and evaluate the nature of your termite infestation.
Let’s set the record straight; termite damage repair won’t be a fun thing to do all by yourself no matter how energetic you’re. Practice keeping a periodic termite inspection schedule.
Step two: Contact a Professional Termite Contractor
Call a termite expert. No matter how handy you think you are, it’s always a smart decision to ask for a professional’s help. Be it the windows, the foundation or just the walls you think are affected, the presence of termites in your property means you have a weak exterior structure that needs to be examined. A termite expert can give you an accurate estimate of the damage and a cost work up as well. In some cases where termites have caused extensive damage to the foundation, it is wise to involve a structural engineer.
Step Four: Does Your Insurance Policy Cover Termite Damage?
You have to document everything from the start to the end, and you should be able to check your insurance policy. If you are covered for termite damage, and you just acquired a new property that is infested with termites, it is advisable that you seek an attorney’s help. However, if you choose to sell the house, you have to inform the new owners of past termite damage.
Cost of Repairing Termite Damage
Termites cause more damage to homes in the United States than earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, hail storms and wind combined. Crazily enough, cost in damages to individual homes can be in the tens of thousands, and unfortunately, most homeowners insurance does not cover the repair costs. Termite repair costs may depend on the following variables: size of your home, the type of your home construction, termite species that have infested your home, the extent at which the termites have infested and the type of treatment provided. Early detection of termite infestations is important as it minimizes the cost of damage repair.
1. Structural Damage
Termites eat away at the structures of your home and that is where some of your biggest costs are going to be, but this depends on the extent of damage. Minor Structural damages may cost around two thousand dollars.
2. Cosmetic Damage
Termites may peel away paints, cause discoloration of sheets and even buckling of the doors. The cost will depend on the material that was destroyed and what you to choose to replace it with. Hard floors, for instance, may be a bit pricey to install. So, if you’re on a tight budget, I would recommend a few loose tiles.
Termite repair may seem a bit costly, which is why you should have a yearly inspection than deal with the damage caused by termites.
Although termite damage may be reversed through professional repair, termite control measures should be taken to ensure termite infestation has been fully exterminated and the home is protected against future attacks by termites. Taking these steps will help prevent further costly repairs in the future. Protection and prevention are the keys to avoiding any damage from termites.