Many possible causes of the damages happen to the wood structure or materials around your home. The two main reasons are termite damage vs wood rot. They can cause your home’s wood structure expensive damage without you even knowing it. To ensure the protection of your home from these two culprits, you must understand what they are and must tell the difference between termite damage vs wood rot. There are treatments available as well that you can consider.
What is wood rot?
It is the type of threat that brings damage to the wood because of fungi. When moisture, warmth, and even oxygen existed around the structure, fungi can blossom, which in the long run, leads to rot or decay wood. The worst thing about this rotting and wood-decaying, sometimes, you are not really in control of the warmth and oxygen your wood structure has been exposed to. But, you can control the moisture that might present in it.
There are a lot of homes having issues with moisture and wood rot. Some examples are the leaking of the air conditioner, shrubs planted near the house, and a downspout not functioning well. These problems around the house can cause wood rot because they involve moisture. On the other hand, wood rot may occur even without humidity, and they are called ‘dry rot.’ Dry rot is caused by another type of fungi known differently than wet rot.
Dry rot with its scientific name ‘Serpula lacrymans’ is harder to remove. It needs a drastic and intensive solution. There are damp proofing companies and remedial timber treatment that can help you create a solution for the dry rot issue.
What is termite damage?
The most popular species of termites are called Subterranean termites, and they are the most common issues found in most homes in the US states. Termites can be found underground from the soil and eat only the cellulose materials, mostly found in wood and plant cells. Like any other fungi, termites can consume the wood structure from the inside and out, making it weak and hollow. The cracks you found on the walls and its foundation allow termites to the wood structure and form tunnels that look like a tube from the inside of the present wood materials. This is how this pest or termites attack and bring problems in your property through tunnels and cracks they made.
The difference between wood rotting and termite damage
Termite damage can cause the wood structure to look wavy, and parts may appear weak and hallowed. On the other hand, wet and dry rot causes the wood to become darker than its surrounding areas. Wood rot becomes spongy and soft. With dry rot, the wood structure crumbles and possibly crack even with a simple touch of it. Usually, you will know that wood rot existed because you will see some visible fungi growth in the structure. It also comes with a known smell that you’ll identify it’s already rotting.
There are instances that you can hardly tell the difference between a termite damage wood structure and wood rotting. The best way you can do this is to get a pest control professional to inspect your property. They are the ones who can tell and explain intensively if wood damage is a result of pest or termite infestation or moisture.
Appearance of Damage
Wood rot takes after blocks or dry bricks because of how the fungi eat up the wood structure and carry water. These fungi activities form channels in your wood structure. Termites, specifically subterranean termites, also create channels but in a different manner. They tend to dig tubes as their shelter. They called them ‘mud cube’ because they are made up of soil particles, fecal matter, and saliva. Termites used this tube to move termites from the underground or soil to the wood structure and look for food. That’s how they form a pattern of colonies to attack your property.
How They Got There
Termite damage may exist because of one common reason, exposure to the soil, while wood rot is caused by fungi and getting too much proximity with moisture. The fungus moves the water and other grain particles to a drier place, making the wood ‘dry rot.’
In Summary
Before deciding on the treatment option for the wood damage on your property, you must first identify its cause. If it is because of termite damage, the best possible action you can take is to get a real professional termite treatment. On the other hand, if the cause of the damages is wet or dry rot, start the treatment by dealing with the moisture problems surrounding around your home. Once you have settled or removed the moisture’s source, you can now repair and replace the damaged structure. Remember that these damages don’t just happen to most homes but also to different buildings like galleries, restaurants, and other places where most wooden materials can be found.
If you’re a homeowner, home maintenance is already a part of it. It’s one aspect you shouldn’t forget and must not take for granted because it is the only way you can live in a comfortable place. It’s a good thing that this kind of severe damages has certain treatment to help you resolve the issue. You just have to pay attention to everything that’s going on in your house or property. You must also ensure preventative maintenance to see and treat the problem right away whether it’s a termite infestation or wood moisture issue. Getting a fair square of solution for it is a very crucial before it becomes a massive problem in your home.
