Comprehensive Guide To Wood-Destroying Pests

Have you ever looked at a wood floor, or a baseboard, or a sheetrocked wall and wondered whether or not your home is being damaged by wood-destroying pests? You're not alone. Home ownership comes with many challenges and wood-damaging pests are definitely high on the list. Most homeowners don't know the first thing about all of the many creatures that can damage their investment and eat away at their equity. Let that not be said of you.

When it comes to wood-destroying pests, there are really only a few things you need to know. Today, we're going to take a look at them. While this won't be the longest article on this topic, it will give you everything you need to put the subject of wood-destroying pests into proper perspective.

Quick Guide to Wood-Destroying Pests

Not every critter that comes into your yard is a threat to your home. Many pest creatures don't do any damage to building materials. But here are some that do:

Subterranean termites are the big boy on the block. They cost U.S. property owners billions every year. If you have these insects in your home, they may let you know it by creating shelter tubes on your foundation walls or on interior walls and objects.

Powderpost Beetles are hardwood pests that can do quite a bit of damage to hardwood floors, window and door frames, wooden furniture, and more. If you see tiny holes that look about the size of a pencil tip, it is may be time to contact a pest professional.

Carpenter ants chew galleries inside soft or rotting wood. If you have an old deck or patio, these ants could become a problem for you. When they get into a home, they rarely attack sound, hardwood members. But, if they find wood inside your home that is being damaged by moisture, you could be in trouble. You might be able to detect these pests by looking for the sawdust (frass) they push out of kickout holes. These ants don't eat wood. They just tunnel into it.

Carpenter bees are big, fat, yellow and black, off white and black, or entirely black bees that bore circular holes into wood. If you find holes that look like someone took a drill to your home, that is probably these bees. You'll find this damage under your deck, stairs, and other external structures. Sometimes, you won't see the damage being done but you'll hear the bees chew, chew, chewing inside your walls.

Woodpeckers love carpenter bees and carpenter ants. If you have an infestation of either, woodpeckers may start tapping on your home. Before you get a rock and throw it at that woodpecker for waking you up, you might want to thank it. It's loud, annoying and destructive tapping might be the only warning you get that your home has an infestation of wood-damaging insects.

Rodents are the often-forgotten wood damagers of the animal kingdom. But don't underestimate mice, rats, and squirrels. A tiny mouse can destroy your entire house. Yes, you read that correctly. That tiny little mouse can sever a live wire as it chews through sheetrock or baseboards. If it does, it can spark a house fire. This can lead to immediate devastation unlike anything a termite could cause. But, most of the time, a rodent will just chew a hole to get inside, chew a path to a food storage area, and it's done. But, as a population of mice or rats grows inside a home, the risk of a house fire increases and the damage caused increases.

Pest Control

Many think of professional pest control as something to get when a pest problem is discovered. That is not a good idea. As you can see, the creatures that get into your home can be a serious threat to your property. Ongoing residential pest control isn't just a nice thing, it is essential pest protection every Washington homeowner should have. Prosite provides industry-leading pest control to Ellensburg, WA and the surrounding area. Don't let wood-destroying pests threaten your equity. Get your protection in place today.