Are Stealthy Termites Gnawing on Your Northern New Jersey Home?
Termites may be gnawing away on your northern New Jersey home. These usually unseen wood-destroying pests live in massive nests deep underground leaving little sign of their destruction until considerable damage has occurred. Termites will damage 1 in 5 homes in Bergen, Passaic, West Essex and Morris counties this year. Nationwide, these stealthy insect pests cause more than $5 billion in damage annually.
Capable of consuming 1 lineal foot of 2×4 timber every 120 days, a large termite colony can do thousands of dollars in damage to your home’s structural wood before you realize you have a problem. The size of a rice grain, the Eastern Subterranean Termite, the only termite species active in northern New Jersey, is 1/8 to 1/4 inch long with a white, oval, wingless body. Termites feed on but do not live in wood. They require high moisture levels to keep their unprotected bodies from drying out so live deep underground where soil moisture content is fairly constant. Termites are attracted to damp, damaged wood but will expand foraging into dry, healthy wood as colony needs increase.
Examine wood structures like porch posts or basement foundation walls for signs of deterioration. Puddles of “flying ants” indicate termite activity. Also look for pencil-sized mud transit tubes on floors and walls. If you see signs of termite activity, call a termite extermination expert to stop damage and prevent termites from returning. More on that next time.