Ross Montgomery
704-773-0084
TERMITES
The WDIR report is an official document used by the State of North Carolina and issued by a Licensed Pest Control Operator. The NC standardized letter (Wood destroying insect report) addresses the presence or absence of wood destroying insects or conditions conducive to attract wood destroying insects. Termites can be in any wooden structure and infest any home, without regard to the type of foundation of the house (crawl or slab). Treatment for termites include: poisoning the termites and soils perimeter of the house and/or baiting (which sends poison back to a colony - killing out the colony). Termite treatments vary (depending on the size of the property, linear feet of trenching done and amount of drilling required to treat the property). The WDIR also addresses the presence of other wood destroying insects such as carpenter bees and powder post beetles. Powder post beetles can be found on any house, but are more commonly found in older homes. The beetles do not eat the wood, but nest in the wood and cause structural damage to wood components.
Termite colonies have an order and hierarchy within the colony. The queen insect lays the eggs, the swarmers (winged termites) reproduce, the soldier guards the colony and the nymph does all the work of carrying the food back to the colony. The termite diet consists of cellulose (from wood products).
Here is a photo of the termites named above. The "nymph" is the one that does all of the wood damage. The termites that are often seen swarming with wings do not do the damage - but populate the colonies that produce the nymph.
Although termite activity can be determined in many ways, the most common indicator of activity is shelter tubes on foundation walls. Termites use these tubes to travel back and forth from the ground to the wood. Termites have to return to the soil every so often to retain the moisture needed for their bodies. The shelter tubes are the "termite highways".
Termite damage in floor joists is the most common type damage found in North Carolina. Subterranean termites are the only type termites found in the Charlotte Metrolina Area. The only repair is to tear out and replace the affected area.
Sometimes termite activity will go unnoticed and termites can travel up to a second story. Here, notice the damage to the garage wall because termites had come up behind the drywall. Much damage had taken place before the termite activity was found.
Providing Quality Home Inspections Since 1992