Nancy asks…
Termite damage in wood desk, what should we do to treat?
We were recently given a very old wood desk. In the process of cleaning it I found some termite damage but no live insects. The desk had been sitting unused in a warehouse for years so the damage could be very old or it could be recent, no way to tell. Any advice on what we should do to treat it to ensure that we won’t have live bugs?
The affected area is very small and barely noticeable. It is actually underneath the top of the desk along the outside edge. The only reason I saw it was because we had to tip the desk on its side to get it in the door and then I left it like that so I could clean it. It was just covered in grime.
admin answers:
Agree with others. Even if you filled the damage you could not seal off all the tunnels and there still could be some live thingies inside there.
If I felt I just had to preserve it, I would have it dipped at a pro wood shop to remove all old varnish, stain, etc. The dipping process also will penetrate any interior spaces and kill off any bugs. Last thing you want to do is bring termites into your house. The treatment costs are high, but if you don’t know they’ve gotten to you, the repair costs are even higher and you still have to have the property treated.
The one thing about termite colonies–you never really kill them, like with ant colonies. You just move them along to a place they consider friendlier, like your neighbor’s place. I don’t care what the treatment people tout, it is just about impossible to kill a colony. So, unless you are sure about what you bring into your house, you should be extremely careful.
John asks…
treating wood for termites?
I have had previous termite damage, it is all clear now…..the old wood was taken out now the new wood is going in….Is there something that you can treat the wood with so termites do not get to it again??
admin answers:
Two things to do:
1. Make sure the new wood does not contact dirt — not at all.
2. Brush or use a spray bottle to apply “Copper Green” (my preference, but “Termin8″ also works).
***EDIT*** You do NOT have to be a licensed contractor to buy either “Copper Green” or “Termin8.” They can be purchased at most lumber/hardware stores. I’m sure there are other products that only a licensed contractor can buy, but these two have worked just fine for me over the years.
Donald asks…
What wood one can use inside and outside on the roof of the house the termite don’t eat?
I have some termite damage around the edge of the roof of my house and some inside,What replacement wood one can use inside and outside on the roof of the house the termite don’t eat or termite resistant wood to replace the damaged ones since I don’t want to put wood that is easy for termite to eat?
admin answers:
As far as a type of wood that is insect resistant, if you live in the U.S. I would recommend cedar, specifically heartwood cedar (that is cedar from the center of the tree).
However as a guy who owns quite a few houses I would actually recommend other things than changes to the type of wood.
1st make sure to call an exterminator to make sure it is a termite and not a carpenter ant infestation and have him treat it accordingly. This may be covered by your insurance.
Second, both of the above species need a moist environment to survive, so you probably have a leak somewhere. Find the source of the leak ( on roofs it I have found leaks as far as 15 feet away from the insect damage) and then repair it, Sometimes a moisture meter can be helpful to determine the source of the leak, or after repair, you can use the meter several months later to make sure the moisture in the wood is down to acceptable levels.
The last bit of advice has to do with doing this economically. I know these are tough times and a professional exterminator may be expensive if not covered by insurance. I still recommend the professional so get a free quote if you can. Hre him if the price is right only after you have checked his references.
If a pro is out of your price range, you have a couple of tax payer funded resources at your disposal. Don’t feel guilty about this, you pay taxes too. First try your county extension office to see if they have a person on the payroll that can advise you about insect infestations, and the best way to get rid of them. Second try your public library. Most public libraries have one or more reference librarians on staff whose primary job is to help people find the answers to the questions they have. That would include insect infestations. They won’t know the answer to your questions, but they are excellent at helping you find the answers to your questions.
I hope I helped.
Charles asks…
wood sills in basement have termite damage, what to do with it. Would change of wood sills damage the house?
admin answers:
The first order of business is to have the exterminator treat the house for termites to prevent further damage. The next step is an assessment as to the extent of the damage already done.
I am assuming that you are talking about the “sill plate” that rests on top of the foundation and upon which the floor joists and rim joists rest. It is notmally the first place that termites attack. If you have a concrete block foundation, they can come pu through the block unnoticed to get to the sill plate. From there, the whole house is theirs. If you are lucky, you noticed the damage before the termites moved their way from the sill plate to the joists above. That does not mean that there is no damage above, because termites will build a mud tube to get themselves to their favorite wood. I have seen them attack a fir sill plate, mudtube up past southern yellow pine floor joists, and go to work on fir wall studs. They are insidious.
To start, take a scratch awl or an ice pick and poke around the sill plate. If the point sinks easily, or if the sill plate crumbles, you have incurred extensive damage and the plates may need to be replaced. This is a tedious job, but not overly difficult.
If you find extensive damage in the sill plate, poke around the floor joists. Again, if you notice extensive damage, repairs will have to be made. You need to test higher and higher as you continue to find damage to assess the totality of the damage. They can, and will go all they way to your attic and work on the roof framing. It is not uncommon.
Your exterminator should do a through search for damage for you and now you know what to look for. I sincerely hope you haven’t incurred serious damage because it can be very expensive to fix.
Good luck with your problem.
Lisa asks…
Where and how do I find a person to fix my wood door frame? It was damaged by termites.?
admin answers:
Find a local handyman/carpenter/contractor that someone can recommend to you. Call your friends and ask if they know someone with carpentry skills. Tell them you have a small side job to install a door frame.
Look in the newspaper for someone looking for work.
Be careful not to get a crooked contractor…..and NEVER pay for the work up front. ONLY materials that need to be purchased.
Talk about how much the ENTIRE job will cost upfront ….and let them know that they will NOT Be paid until the job is COMPLETED.
If they give you a fit about this………..tell them to take a hike. Get someone who will do the job and expect to paid ONLY when it is COMPLETED.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
