Water Damage Attracts Termites

2/7/2022 (Permalink)

You probably already know that water damage is more than a nuisance. It can also cause severe damage to your Missouri home or business. But there’s another side effect of water damage you may be unaware of. It also attracts bugs – those that may cause disease and those that can further destroy your home.

The kinds of bugs that are attracted to water damage include carpenter ants, termites, silverfish, beetles, roaches, etc. They enter a structure when its walls and foundation are weakened by water damage, using electrical wires as their highways throughout a building. The insects that can do the most damage are termites. But what attracts them to a water-damaged structure?

Termites need to be surrounded by moisture. Normally they live underground in a cool, damp environment, so water-soaked wood makes a great replacement home for them while supplying them with an almost endless buffet. This is why water damage that’s ignored can encourage termite infestation in any home.

Termite infestations are very damaging to property and expensive to treat. Usually, it calls for a whole-house treatment. It can start inconspicuously and often an owner won’t even be aware of the damage until he hires a professional restoration service like SERVPRO of Springfield / Greene County to do a damage inspection.

The University of Kentucky’s College of Food and Agriculture wrote a highly informative Q&A article on termite infestations. In it they talk about what termites can do to a home, what a homeowner can do if there’s an infestation, and how tough it can be for homeowners to ascertain if termites have infested their home or business at the early stage of infestation:

“Oftentimes, there will be no clear indication of infestation. Termites are cryptic creatures and infestations can go undetected for years, hidden behind walls, floor coverings, insulation, and other obstructions. Termite feeding and damage can even progress undetected in exposed wood because the outer surface usually remains intact. Confirmation of termites often requires the keen eye of a professional — however, even the most experienced inspector can overlook signs that are hidden.”

As we’ve mentioned, termites love moisture and humidity. In a Missouri home or business that’s not sufficiently ventilated or has unrepaired leaks, a termite infestation can take place. For this reason, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns against not fixing leaks and water damage sources right away. On their official website, they discuss how to prevent these pests from invading your home.

The National Pest Management Association also highlights the termite’s love for wet weather, moisture, and humidity. It mentioned that pests, including termites, could swarm during wet and warm weather. Pestworld.org published this NPMA warning:

“Residual winter moisture will create ideal conditions for mosquito larval habitats to form in standing water and will allow termite populations to flourish. With a rainy summer also predicted, expect increased cockroach and ant pressure as they move indoors for shelter.”

The bottom line to all this information is simple; never, ever, allow water damage that’s occurred to your Missouri home or business to go unrepaired. It needs to be addressed immediately to avoid an infestation of termites and other damage from wreaking havoc on property. Call the water damage cleanup professionals at SERVPRO of Springfield / Greene County immediately whenever water damage occurs. Whether the damage is big or small, we can take care of it.