04 Oct Can Termites Damage Hardwood Floors

Termites prefer softwoods, but that doesn’t mean they won’t consume hardwood floors. Termites will chew on any type of wood, but they don’t actually eat the wood itself. They’re seeking the cellulose in the wood. However, in their quest to extract cellulose for food, they tunnel through wood and the result is the same.

A home can sustain a termite infestation for a significant amount of time before the damage begins to be obvious. Over time, hardwood flooring will weaken and eventually collapse under ordinary usage. Termites never stop eating, as they must obtain sustenance to feed the next generation. They’ll attack anything that contains cellulose, including books and magazines, wallpaper and drywall, furniture and even fabrics.

There are multiple types of the insect and the variety that will typically feed on hardwood floors are drywood termites. They infest hardwood floors, along with the structural supports of the home. They bore through wood from the inside out and evidence of their presence won’t be that obvious at first. The outside surface of walls and floors often appear undamaged, while the insects are busy boring throughout the house.

The most common type of termites that homeowners will encounter in the U.S. is the subterranean termite. They nest in moist soil and construct mud tubes up walls to get into the house. They’ll typically seek out softwoods such as pine, that’s a common building material in homes. They tend to forego hardwood flooring. As they bore through the home, they weaken the structure in and around hardwood flooring.

The best way to keep termites away from hardwood floors, and the entire structure, is through pre-emptively treating homes by calling an exterminator. The professionals will conduct an examination to determine if there’s a current infestation. The experts have preventative methods to protect against the insects invading the home and treatment strategies to control the pests if they’ve already arrived.