Is your home hiding a dark and dangerous secret? We’re not talking about past owners, or skeletons in the closet. No, today we’re talking about termites! Are you aware of how dangerous a termite colony can be for your home and possessions? If not, the experts at Shanco are here to clue you in!

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The Threat of Termites

So what kind of trouble accompany these frustrating pests? You’d think that something so small couldn’t do much harm, but that’s really not the case. Colonies consist of hundreds of thousands of insects, all of which crave the cellulose contained in your woodwork. As one of the most successful insects in the United States, these little guys can do a lot of destruction, including:

  • Buckling walls, ceilings, and floors. If the major framework of your home is made of wood (as most are), they’re at risk of a termite invasion. This can lead to sagging and structural weakness that could lead to some serious repair projects.
  • Cracked, peeling paint. Since much of their time is spent living and wandering around in your walls, termites can cause serious damage to the paint in your home.
  • Roof damage. Roofing tiles can become dislodged after the roof frame underneath has been demolished by hungry termites. This can lead to some nasty and unanticipated roof repair.
  • Ruined trim. And not only trim. Any wood furniture, wall fixtures, and even your fancy antique armoire can be thrashed.

Signs of a Termite Infestation

The real danger of termites is that they can go completely unnoticed for years. Within that time, you could be in a house as hollow as a cardboard box and not even know it. Keep an eye out for these signs:

  • Check the yard. This might require a bit of crouching, so prepare your knees. Termites hate direct exposure to outside air, as they need moisture and cannot deal with predators. To combat this issue, they construct small, thin tunnels out of dirt which they can use to get around. See a bunch of odd formations on the ground that look like a bunch of brown straws lying around? Probably termites!
  • Check the air. The flying termites mean trouble so it is important to keep an eye out for them as they can wreak havock on your yard.
  • Look for weird dirt. Not like purple dirt or anything. Just dirt in places it shouldn’t be. Termites will seal in tiny cracks and holes in your walls with dirt to secure a colony. Find odd smatterings of dirt on your wall. Contact a termite specialist!
  • Knock on wood. If you suspect termites, or just want to check around, thump on wooden objects around the home. If it sounds hollow or you get an internal echo, you probably have termites.

Contact Shanco for Trim Replacement in Maryland

If termites got to the trim in your home, contact the experts at Shanco! We can bring you a fresh trim replacement in no time, and our work is guaranteed to satisfy.