Insulating Around Windows And Doors Where Termites Exist

When a colony has matured winged swarming termites can be seen around windows and doors.

Insulating around windows and doors where termites exist.

Joists can be weakened and you can experience damage like sagging floors shifted window and door frames peeling paint and more. But we rarely talk about how. Termites can tunnel through the walls. A friend reopened sealed pocket doors on the top floor of his 1900 triple decker in boston recently and from inside the walls along with the pocket doors came shredded paper.

Most dampwood and drywood termites live inside the woods they eat while subterranean termites mostly live in the ground and venture to and from the wood they consume back to their underground colony. The three common types of home invading termites dampwood drywood and subterranean are drawn to homes for different reasons. Termites aren t limited to wooden delicacies inside your home either. In the late 1800s primitive insulation could be comprised of a number of mundane materials such as newspaper wood shavings corncobs and even seaweed.

Occasionally you may find signs of termite infestations in easier to reach places such as attics door frames wooden furniture door frames and window frames. Swarming termites are attracted to light and are often found near windows doors vents and light fixtures. Carpenter ants enter structures through cracks and crevices around windows and in foundation walls through heating or air conditioning ducts where tree branches or utility lines contact a structure and through ventilation openings in the attic. Though the collection of dirt and debris around doors and windows is a common occurrence the consistent buildup of these materials is typically a sign of a pest problem.

This means that a colony of termites might be calling your house home. Winged termites are highly attracted to sources of light and are most active in springtime. Winged termites are often the first sign of a subterranean termite infestation. They nest in wood that is moist or has been previously damaged by water or termites.

Some ants such as fire ants solenopsis invicta and big headed ants pheidole megacephala will often bring dirt into homes in an attempt to nest in the walls of the structure. Another sign to look for is difficulty with windows and doors sticking or bubbling paint. Termites feed on cellulose an essential component of wood. Serious infestations that are left unchecked can result in even more dramatic damage.

The effects termites can have on your home s insulation when we talk about termite damage we usually talk about damage to the wood in your home. Subterranean termites will search out food sources that exist above ground in addition to their more readily available food supplies. This could be a window door vent or small crack. After mating these termites locate a new breeding site and create another colony spreading infestations throughout multiple locations.

Decks patios porches tree stumps sheds and garages are also termite hotspots. Experiencing a termite swarm is the 1 sign that your property has a termite problem.