Termites have survived for over 150 million years. Even more shocking, over 2,000,000 homes in the United States will require treatment for termite infestations this year, with the cost of repairs and control over a billion dollars.
And where we live, it’s not a matter of if your home will get termites, it’s when. That’s because termites thrive in the Southeast with the warmer climate.
So you may wonder – is my home safe from termites? The truth is, termites can get into any home – brick, block, stucco – or even built on a concrete slab.
How do they get inside? Subterranean termites live in large underground colonies. A single colony can have between 500,000 to over a million termites and there can be several colonies per acre of land.
They can invade your home underground through plumbing or other openings in the slab. Above ground, they build mud tubes to access wood sources and enter through cracks as small as 1/64 of an inch, or about the width of a dime. Once they’ve gained access, they feed on wood flooring, drywall, framing and valuable furnishings in your home.
Unlike subterranean termites, drywood termites do not live in the ground but rather in the wood they eat. They enter your home through siding, wood shingles, cracks, unscreened soffits and gable vents. Their damage is typically done in attics and crawl spaces and can go unnoticed for long periods of time.
If you suspect you may have a termite infestation in your home, learn more about the warning signs here.