Termites can be your worst enemy and a constant source of worry when it comes to protecting your home and termite removal. True, they are tiny and harmless insects to humans yet they are a threat to your hard-earned investments. But how dangerous can termites be? To better understand the extent of damage this cryptic home destroyer can bring to your properties let’s look at some information about them.
Fast Facts About Termites:
Your house can be under termite attack yet you won’t even notice it. Termites thrive clandestinely in corners of your home or yard – in places containing cellulose-based fibres. Cellulosic manufactured fibres come from wood and wood, even these days, remain a major building material for homes and buildings. Since termites get their nutrition from plant-based cellulose, it is but natural for them to chew on wood. Termites are able to eat wood and digest them easily unlike other animals. The secret? These tiny insects actually have a special enzyme called protozoans that breaks down cellulose into sugar. This enzyme is present naturally in their digestive system. As soon as cellulose is digested through protozoans, the insect receives the nutrition it needs.
Furniture pieces, bookshelves, house foundations, dead trees and plants, and wood in soil are excellent feeding spots for termites. Some termites build their nests in mud while others breed within walls and furniture. They build colonies with the queen, soldier, worker and larva habituating within mud tunnels or mounds. Nests can grow very large and extremely tall with a strong mud exterior.
How Termites Damage Can be Damaging?
When termites infest homes, they can cause very costly damage and nuisance. Damage to your property can happen in a short period of time so any termite attack calls for quick action. Termites eat round the clock, 24×7 every single day which means the degree of damage to your home can be very alarming. In a recent study conducted by the National Pest Management Association, it is estimated that property damages caused by termites reach up to $5 billion annually spanning roughly 600,000 infested homes in the U.S. On the other hand, termites and other insects have reportedly caused approximately $30 billion worth of crop and structure damage every year. If you have discovered an infestation on your property, you are more likely to spend about $3,000 for damage repair and termite control. The damage repair cost will vary depending on the location, size, and accessibility of termite infestation. There are instances when a homeowner is able to control the damage in the early stage of infestation. There are also some unfortunate cases where the damage is so extensive that homes or properties needed to be demolished.
To avoid termites from totally wrecking your home, contact your local termite control expert promptly once you have the slightest indication of an infestation. A termite attack cannot be effectively addressed by a homeowner alone. Termite and pest control professionals have the necessary knowledge and understanding of how dangerous termites can become for your property. Therefore, it is best to leave the job to the pros as they have the expertise, training, and tools to successfully control and terminate infestation.
