Subterranean termites have been known to be a real hidden pest. Sometimes it can be very difficult to spot the presence of termites’ colony nest especially inside your house, and it’s majorly due to the extreme secret way of life these insects lead.
Little by little, All wooden structures of a house are destroyed by these termites including basement, walls, and ceilings, usually, this makes a house uninhabitable and disorderly. bathroom leaving the rest of the house neglected
For example, there are, on medium, from 13 to 14 subterranean termite colonies per acre in the USA, meaning that it is very easy for regular home to have three to four colonies situated under or around it.
Why Do Termites Live in a Bathroom?
The reason for their mud tubes and nests is planted in a bathroom because often it is a site of certain moisture problems.
Insufficient ventilation system. Usually, there is a high humidity level in a bathroom, a faulted ventilation system does not manage to take an evaporated steam outside. Making damp bathroom a perfect place for termites as a result of this.
- Collected water especially due to leaky pipes. Water is badly required by this termites to retain moisture within their bodies and to keep up living. The water that runs along leaky pipes and accumulates on the floor assists in creating a perfect living and feeding condition for termites.
- Humid showers portray a cause for increased evaporation that provides the termites an opportunity to get the needed portion of moisture.
Signs of Bathroom Infestation: Where to Search for Evidence?
A few signs that can notify damages caused by termites in a bathroom include:
- Loose tiles.
- Discolored or saggy ceiling.
- Damaged or hollow-sounding baseboards or walls.
- Drywall or wallpaper with small holes.
- Jammed door or windows.
There are other ways you can perform to help you recognize the presence of subterranean termites inside and outside your house.
Despite there are noticeable signs of infestation, getting a professional consultation on this matter is necessary. You need a good flashlight, screwdriver or pocketknife, and coveralls in order to recognize the activity of subterranean termites inside your bathroom.
Firstly, it’s important to pay attention to damp and warm places:
- With a screwdriver slightly knock a tile cover of the walls and the floor for hollow-like sound.
- With the aid of a flashlight inspect all pipes for mud tunnels and collecting water.
- Using a flashlight, inspect drains of bathtub and basin for swarmers (sexed termites with wings).
Recommendation: in case you find the evidence of subterranean termites’ infestation, it is highly advisable against applying do-it-yourself elimination activities. The local expert should be contacted immediately on termites because the result of such negligence could be devastating.
Possible clogs could also help termites select bathtub drains and basins. These clogs provide the perfect opportunity for them to build their mud shelters. It is possible to see swarmers inside the drains sometimes. Such evidence proves a sound termite activity is inside your bathroom and possibly in the entire house.
Warning:
Due to the challenge of accessing the infestation near plumbing pipes and fixtures structural damage of a bathroom can be very difficult and expensive to repair. Thus, Repairs should be handled by a special service.
Occasionally, termites build their mud tunnels along the water pipes or on the tile walls “connecting” taps. They also, build tunnel along the floor (under the tile where the moist level is relatively high) and on the ceiling (especially, when the moisture doesn’t evaporate due to stretch ceiling). Infestations can be difficult to detect behind tile and bathtubs particularly. You will see dozens of working termites running to and fro if you destroy a mud tunnel.
Attention! A real proof of termite infestation inside the building are the mud tubes, but their absence does not certify or mean that your house is void of termites. Through cracks or voids in the foundation the termites may reach your bathroom, or from earth-filled porches, steps, terraces. Do not touch mud tubes with bare hands, it may trigger an allergic reaction and contact dermatitis.
What Type of Damage Termites May Bring to Your Bathroom?
Most of all, termites can be opportune to get to your bathroom from the soil through pipes. Pipes penetration is the first evidence that shows your bathroom has been infested.
Endeavor to avoid using pipe wraps made of rubber and cloth that termites could consider to be very “delicious” and therefore easily destroyed. Water pipes can also be eaten away with rust due to mud tunnels and termites’ excrement.
Foraging termites can lead to the wall and floor tile coming off or breaking which could make it impossible to repair. You will see thousands of working termites building their mud shelters under the tile.
Termites will not damage a porcelain-coated, acrylic or fiberglass tub. But, the wooden beams that support the weight of the tub or of the sink can be damaged by termites. Apart from that, termites can also eat all plumbing materials, such as packing yarn on their way to food and moisture through taps.
What One Should Do If There Are Termites Inside a Bathroom?
Struggling with termites has always been considered a combined approach, it would be unwise to neglect the rest of the house and think that it will be enough to treat only a bathroom. If there are termites inside a bathroom, there’s a possibility that their mud tunnels can stretch to other rooms and house structures with high moist level: kitchen, basement, other bathrooms.
If you encounter a problem with the bathroom termites’ infestation, then contacting the local expert service on termites’ destruction to get a professional consultation on the spot or over the phone is much better.
In case, of the impossibility to contact a local expert, you can use the following termite’s control measures.
Combine liquid termiticides with Tent Fumigation and Subterranean Termite Treatment Drilling. Fumigation will assist in getting rid of flying termites who tend to form a new colony inside your dwelling.
You can learn more information about fumigation here: termites dangers, preparing for fumigation and cleaning after, how long this procedure last? The liquid termiticides for drilling will surely kill worker caste of termites that will lead to the death of the queen slowly.
You can cover the bathroom and treat the soil near it. Let the professional search the rest of the house for infestation signs: piles of wings, frass, holes in the wood, mold, mud tunnels.
Combine Soil Treatment with Baits. Non-repellent termiticides with soil treatment will scare the termites away from your bathroom, Slowly the population of pests will decrease even with baits.
Always remember, that treating a bathroom, it is most likely that all the tiles will be removed in other for easy access to hard-to-get places where termites are likely to live and feed. Be cautious! All through modern termiticides are water-based and completely safe for mammals, The simple rules of self-protection should not be neglected.
What Are the Steps After Bathroom Treatment?
After your bathroom has been properly treated, Conducting a periodical inspection of the places enlisted above is still highly needed. Look at pipes and inside the drains and taps precisely, knock tile with a screwdriver for hollow-like sound.
Using duct tape on the floor and walls can be used to trap some possible termites in case there are any. This method will show you whether there are termites inside your bathroom again.
Helpful video on how to make a bath trap to treat for termites
Conclusion
Prevent the appearance of termites in your house is the best option, though they are not always possible to detect sometimes before it became a real problem. Use the signs of insects That were given above for your periodical inspection inside your home.
Always remember, that today many accessible and safe methods have been provided to destroy termites’ colony. But only a specialist from termite control service will be suitable in choosing the best option to get rid of the pests inside your house for a very long-time.
