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Have you ever actually spotted a termite? They’re pretty tiny and seem relatively harmless. And considering how they like to stay hidden, the chances of you personally interacting with a termite are miniscule. Because of this, you might associate them with cockroaches and ants – insects that are annoying and a little gross, but generally speaking they're not going to harm you (unless you’re allergic to cockroaches, but that’s for a different article). Because of this, you might think termites are pretty harmless, too. Sure, they’re bad for the home, but so are moths, and nobody is freaking out about them. Unfortunately, that kind of outlook is a mistake. Although they might not do any damage to you medically, they can end up harming your home and making it a danger to your safety.
They don't give up
One of the main problems with termites is their one-track minds. Termites live to eat wood and basically nothing else. They don’t even take any time to rest once they’ve found a food source; they just keep gobbling away, all day every day. When a termite infestation is minor, this isn’t a big deal; sure, they’ll keep eating, but there isn’t that many of them and the damage progression will be slow. But once they begin to reproduce faster, the infestation will spread throughout the home. Then you’re really in for a bigger problem.
Treating a big infestation
Once the termites have started to spread, you’re basically playing a waiting game where you’re hopelessly outnumbered. According to the website for Termidor, an infected house can have 3-4 termite colonies located within it, with each colony can actually have up to a million termites. Because of the very size of the infestation, spot treatments will no longer be available. Your only option at this point is to contract a pest control company to perform a structural fumigation.
How much will the damage end up costing?
Well, it depends how long that infestation goes on without being treated, but we can give you an idea. By some estimates, termites cause $5 billions worth of property damage every year in the United States. And according to the website Homewyse, the average cost of termite damage repair in the city of Visalia is between $300-390, although your personal cost could end up costing you thousands. This is why the statement we make over and over again remains so true: the sooner you discover the termites, the less time they have to mess up your home!
