Termites!

[Sean Og]

Well what started out as a day planned to do some window restorations on our mid century ranch turned into a day of drywall demolition chasing termites after seeing some evidence :-(

I am originally from Ireland where we don't have termites my knowledge is limited. Anyone care to guesstimate how long these badboys have been feasting on my home? Termites were still active so it is not from a former infestation.





Home is a brick exterior ranch which we bought as a foreclosure so I'm guessing preventative treatments had been skipped along the line.

Outside along the window, on closer inspection the dirt is above the basement wall and with some digging I uncovered some live termites and some evidence of old tubes so I am confident this is my source. Looks like they are getting through between the bottom brick row and top of the basement as mortar is not in great condition.  I dug a trench leaving the top of the concrete basement wall exposed so I will be able to see if any new tubes are constructed tomorrow.

It looks like they moved along the wall and feasted on each stud and finally got to the main vertical stud going up to the window header. Each of the studs below the window have damage



I'll probably be getting a professional in to treat (unless anyone can tell me this is easy!) and I will get to do some carpentry work that I didn't anticipate :-)

[Spork]

I'm not sure where you live or what sort of termites you have there.  Your description sounds like subterranean termites.

Been there.  You have my complete sympathy.  When I had them in a previous house, we had a contract with a termite company and they came and treated.  Their treatment at the time had the philosophy of "do not disturb them."  (Too late. I know.  And that theory might have changed.)   They attached a bait box to the wall so that they would carry the bait back to the main nest and kill the whole thing.

Once we were done, I pretty much had to replace all the studs along one wall and halfway along another.  I was really not sure how the wall was even standing.  When I pulled the drywall down and saw the extent of the damage, I actually built a temporary wall a couple of feet out so I could work on it.  (There was also some previous bad construction practices in that area that made me super paranoid.)

[Fishindude]

Termites disappear soon as they get hit by open air, so those guys are gone.
Just replace the structurally damaged lumber (pieces with a few holes can stay) and blast everything real good with some termite killing chemical that can be had at most farm stores, lumber yards, etc.

They come out of the ground and get into your lumber in places where the earth is up too close, or against to the bottom of the wood framing, siding, etc.   See this a lot where people heap wood mulch up on the wall and keep their landscaping damp. They will actually make a little "mud tube" on the foundation wall so they can get from the dirt, up a few inches into your lumber.   Best prevention is to keep the bottom masonry portion of your foundation wall exposed and clean, then spray a treatment chemical around foundation perimeter once or twice every year.

If you are in an area prone to termites, I'd go ahead and have a professional on a routine treatment program.

[Sean Og]

Thanks guys. I'm in Kansas and yep they are subterranean.

I figured afterwards I should probably not have pulled it all off but I got carried away chasing the extent of damage!

There is a brick wall outside this and there really isnt too much damage, pretty much limited to header, and a couple of studs you can see.

My only real concern now is preventing them coming back and a fear of the nest (?) being in the finished basement wall!

Fishindude, you hit the nail on the head with the mulch, previous owner had it up against the brick. I had intended to dig that all back, I guess this just speeds that up!

[Gevans17]

keep 6 inches minimum of your slab exposed so you can see any mud tubes before they get in. if dirt touches the mortar, they are coming in. also, trim any overhanging trees and clean gutters holding water. do not have any wood fencing touching your house. treat the perimeter of your slab and around drains with Dominion 2L termiticide. buy online cheap I ordered mine from bugsmart.com. good for 7 years

[BudgetSlasher]

One reason to look into having a professional do it is if they will bond the house.

I lived in a new construction in Florida for a time and during that time the house was infested by termites twice! Luckily when built a major company had done the termite work and bonded the house, they contracted out both repairs and paid for them. I do not know how it would work in an existing house.

I cannot really guess at how long they have been there, but both of my occurrences looked worse than that and I recall hearing someone muse that they had probably only at it a few weeks or less. They eat rapidly.