What Do Termites Damage?
Termites are capable of damaging more than you may think in your home and yard—any material containing cellulose is at risk.
Termites will eat through the very structure of your home, including support beams, flooring, posts, wall studs, and more. Termites also are capable of damaging plaster and the foam insulation inside your home. Outside, they can easily damage piles of lumber, fallen logs, wooden decks, outdoors furniture, and more. It is precisely the fact that these wood-boring insects can feed on so many materials found in or near your home that makes them so dangerous.
What do Termites Infest?
Termites are capable of infesting any wood source, especially if it has contact with the soil. Most homes are built primarily with wood, which is why termites find your property so appealing. Some of the things termites often infest include:
- Inside the home: walls, support beams, drywall, ceilings, floor boards, baseboards, slabs, tiling, windows, insulation, etc.
- Outside the home: roof tiles, wood piles, firewood, patio furniture, fallen lumber, logs/stumps, etc.
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Are There Termite-Resistant Materials?
Because termites are such a known and feared threat to homeowners, it’s helpful to know which materials are resistant to termites when remodeling or building a new home entirely.
Some of the things termites are not known to infest include:
- Treated lumber: This has chemicals in it that prevents rot and makes it undesirable to pests.
- Cement/concrete: Termites will not eat through these, as the material is too solid and lacks cellulose. They can make their way through small cracks in concrete, however.
- Metal: Again, metal does not contain cellulose and is thus not suitable for termites.
- Redwood/cedar: These types of wood are somewhat naturally resistant to termites. However, decay can attract termites to these types of wood.
The Damaging Nature of Termites
Termites are not picky when it comes to choosing what they feast on. Knowing what termites do and don’t eat is crucial to better understanding what they could be damaging inside or outside your home. Bottom line, they are capable of damaging a lot more than you probably think. A professional pest control company can help determine what in your home is most vulnerable to termites.