So how do you treat termite damage? You first need to assess the level of damage from termites in your home or area to know the appropriate steps for treating it. Before repairing the structural damage, treat it first with the right termite control treatment. To repair termite damage, remove the rotten wood first with a chisel, sand it down, and restore the wood by adding support, filling it with wood filler or hardener, or replacing the wood.
Types of Termite Damage
Reproductive termites have a cycle of leaving their previous colony to start another one, worsening your infestation sooner than you expect it. Because of this, destructive termites, like subterranean termites and drywood termites, can easily ruin the foundations of your home. Be sharp for signs of termite activity, like mud tubes, hollow-sounding wood, frass, noise, and more.
mud tunnels on home and other establishments' foundations
the appearance of water damage
maze-like designs in wooden structures
termite swarms
mud tunnels on home foundations
You must address these types of termite damage immediately. Whether the termite wood damage is aesthetic or structural, proper treatment must be done.
Can You Still Fix Termite Damage?
An infestation not treated with termite control will probably leave a house damaged beyond repair, but this instance is pretty rare. A type of subterranean termite, called the Formosan termite, causes the most severe damage, rendering a house beyond repair in just 2 years if left untreated. Other species would take more time to cause extensive damage, but that shouldn't be a reason to stay lax about having termites in your home or establishment.
Termite damage can usually still be fixed; not noticing telltale signs of termite activity before they cause significant wreckage is pretty rare.
How to Restore Your Foundations from Termite Damage
Do a termite inspection to ensure these pests are not the ones doing damage to your foundations and not other pests, such as carpenter ants. Apply different types of termite treatments on the affected wood first before repairing termite damage. Remove the rotten wood with a chisel, sand it down, and repair damage by adding wooden support, replacing the wood, or applying wood fillers or hardeners.
1) Treat Your Wooden Structures with Termite Control Products
You may be repairing termite damage in your foundation, but it's still best to call a professional pest control company first. They will have your structures treated against termite infestation. They will apply slow-acting insecticide and other treatments, like liquid termiticide, termite bait, and others.
They will also confirm if your home or business establishment is already free from termite and other pest infestations. This is for your safety from future infestations, and so that your repairs wouldn't go to waste.
2) Remove Rotten Wood With Chisel
It would be difficult to work on rotten wood because they're not as sturdy anymore. More than this, termite-damaged wood might attract infestations again. Because of this, you need to remove the rotten wood first using a chisel. You can see a piece of ruined wood if it looks decayed or discolored.
3) Apply Wood Hardener
Once you've removed the damaged wood, you'd find the cavities where the termites have created their colonies and eaten off the part of your structures. Before patching these up, apply a wood hardener first to restore the remaining hardness of the wood.
For minimal damage, you may use wood hardener alone to fill in the cavities. Ensure choosing a product that matches your type of wood and its level of damage. You may also apply wood sealants to suffocate the remaining termites if there are.
4) Repair Termite Damage
Once you've prepped your wood with a hardener, you can have several options for patching up the damage, depending on its severity. You may fill the cavities with wood filler, add wood to support the damaged wood, or replace the structure completely.
Apply Wood Filler
For severe damage enough to see the channels or cavities in the wood, patching it out using a wood filler will do. Wood fillers would look like a wood putty or sealant that will fill in the gaps created by the termites. Ensure mixing the wood filler properly and apply them to the gaps little by little to avoid them from sagging. You might need multiple applications to finally achieve coverage, similar to the wood's surrounding area.
Check out the wood every time you enter the wet seasons because new cracks may develop in the wood fillers. To avoid this, keep it as dry as possible.
Add Wood Support
If you cannot fill the damaged wood with wood filler, you can still consider adding structural support to the damaged wood. This offers less expensive solutions suitable for both non-structural and structural repairs. Ensure accurate measurements for the woodwork you may need.
Replace Damaged Sections of Wood
For severe damages, you might have to replace the damaged parts of your structures. This option may be more complicated and costly. It may only be for cases where wood fillers and wooden supports no longer work. The wood may have already been in terrible shape, and the only option is to replace it. Provide the right support temporarily for the structure's integrity during repairs.
If you think you're capable enough, you may cut out the part of the wood on your own, but it's best to leave the job to professional contractors to ensure accuracy and safety.
5) Seek Help from a Professional Contractor
For advanced termite damage, you may need to seek the help of professional contractors. This gives you a more cost-effective solution than you think. If you do it yourself even if you're inexperienced, you may be left with subpar work with safety hazards. This will make you seek help from a contractor at the end of the day to fix the problem. This also ensures the utmost safety and quality of work.
Exterminate Termites with Positive Pest Management
Structural damages from pest infestation can still be fixed, but you must prepare the right termite damage repair cost. You can either use a wood hardener or wood filler to patch up the cavities left by the termites. You may also install additional support on the broken fixtures. If you're up against severe damage, better seek a professional to replace the damaged sections of your home or establishment.
