Termites can spread everywhere throughout the home, even reaching the ceiling. Depending on the species, the infestation can start in the basement or on the roof. From there, the termites will tunnel through nearby wood in order to extend their food supplies. If the infestation goes on for long enough, the termites will spread through the wall, and reach the ceiling itself.
Spotting termite damage
It can take a long time for termites to reach the ceiling, and once they do, it can take a long time for them to do enough damage before the damage becomes visible. However, there are a few signs that can tell you if you have an infestation in your home, such as mud tubes. You may also start to notice frass, which resembles sawdust. If you find little piles of sawdust in the middle of your living room, odds are that there are termites in the ceiling. When the damage is extensive enough, the ceiling will start to sag, which can be a very real hazard and pose a structural threat to the home.
Preventing termite damage in the ceiling
In order to prevent damage from occurring in your ceiling, you will have to prevent a termite infestation from starting in the first place. While this can be hard to do without professional intervention, there are still a few methods that can be used, such as ensuring that there are no excess sources of moisture in the home, especially near wooden structures and objects. Professional prevention methods include the chemical barrier and the baiting station.
Control options
The same methods that can be used for prevention can be used for control. Against subterranean termites you have chemical barriers and baiting stations, which are used either to cut off contact between the colony and the home, or to outright destroy the colony. If you are dealing with drywood or dampwood termites, then the methods used include localized treatments and fumigation. However, if the infestation is present in the ceiling, the go to option in this situation is fumigation, since it’s very likely that the infestation is spread out through the entire building. This control method is the most expensive and the home will have to be tented and vacated while the fumigation process is ongoing. For more information about termite infestations and how to get rid of them, contact us today and we will help you out.
