Wood-destroying insects, or WDIs, are not limited to just termites. Carpenter bees, carpenter ants, and various beetles such as the Wharf Borer are all examples of common insects that love nothing more than to make a meal out of the wood in your home.
The havoc they can wreak on wooden structures is extremely dangerous for any type of home;
First, they look for the kind of wood they prefer: damp or rotting wood that is easier to chew. Then, starting with small, almost invisible holes, they work their way inside and continue chewing until a vast network of tunnels has spread throughout inches if not various feet of your home and weakening the structures severely.
Once these pests have made themselves at home, chemicals to kill off the nest and removal and replacement of damaged wood will be necessary. Preventing future infestations, however, is always a possibility.
To ensure your home does not fall victim to a hoard of wood-hungry critters, the following measures can be taken:
- Making sure the wooden structures around the outside of your home are stained or painted and do not make direct contact with the soil
- Keeping moisture levels to a minimum by fixing leaky pipes or faucets, cleaning gutters, or use pressure-treated wood
- Seal any and all possible entryways to your home such as cracks in foundation, ducts, and around windows, doors, and air conditioners
- Inspect any kinds of wood brought in to your home to see if they’ve been stored properly, including antiques
- have at least a 2-inch clearance between the house and planter boxes or soil-filled porches
- eliminate all wood-to-soil contacts such as trellises, fence posts, stair casings and door facings
- separate shrubbery from the house to help make it easier to inspect the foundation line
- remove wood scraps or stumps from around foundations
- have at least 12″-18″ clearance between floor beams and the soil underneath
