8 Common Termite Myths, Debunked by a Staff Entomologist

The possibility of termite invasions fills homeowners with dread. Each year, termites cause more than a billion dollars of estimated damage in the United States, which is greater than fire, flood, and other natural disasters combined. Many homeowners, however, believe misconceptions about what termites are, how they work, and how best to treat them. Read below to learn about ten common termite myths, as well as the facts that debunk them.

After decades of inspecting homes across the Southeast, our Board Certified Entomologist David Moore has heard these myths in dozens of variations. Some are harmless. A few have cost homeowners tens of thousands of dollars.

Fact: Subterranean termites, the most common species in the Southeast, stay active year-round. They simply move deeper underground or further inside heated structures when temperatures drop. In many cases, winter actually means heightened indoor activity because the termites have moved from outdoor wood sources to the warmer environment of your home. The myth that termites die off or hibernate through winter has cost countless homeowners months of unchecked damage.

Fact: Newly built homes can be just as vulnerable, sometimes more so. Land cleared for new construction often disturbs existing termite colonies, which then redirect to the newest available food source. Many new builds also include exposed wood framing during construction that termites can access before the home is fully enclosed.

Fact: When termites are displaced from their home, they move on to other food sources. They will seek out healthier areas, which may mean nearby homes. For those moving into a new house where land was recently cleared, professionals recommend a termite inspection because of the higher probability of termite activity in cleared land. Once the initial inspection has been conducted, yearly follow-up inspections are advised.

Fact: This is one of the most dangerous misconceptions. Subterranean termites can occupy a home for years without producing any visible sign at the surface. By the time most homeowners can see termite damage with the naked eye, the colony has been there long enough to cause structural problems. The visible damage you can see usually represents a fraction of the total damage.

Fact: Termites are silent pests, invading homes with very few warning signs. Often, by the time a termite is spotted, they have caused some damage to a home. They hide in small cracks and crevices, making them hard to detect for the average homeowner. It takes a licensed, trained professional to spot termite damage. Termites seldom break through the surface of wood but instead hollow it out from the inside, leaving most of the damage undetected. Because there are few visible warning signs, termite activity and the resulting damage can go undetected for years.

Fact: While termites are known to destroy homes, they serve a great purpose in nature. Termites act as a natural recycling system, helping to break down fallen trees and dead wood into nutrient-rich soil that helps other plants to grow. They only cause trouble when invading a residential area. Otherwise, they are an important part of our ecosystem.

Fact: Termites are strong creatures, but not strong enough to eat through concrete. Concrete often is not a sufficient barrier to prevent termites from reaching the wooden parts of a house. All poured concrete foundations contain small cracks, which termites squeeze themselves through. Once they discover a food source, termites will build mud tunnels to protect worker termites as they travel back and forth from the food source to the colony. Even if you have a concrete foundation, it is important to get regular termite inspections to make sure no termites have made their way through.

Fact: Simply put, do-it-yourself termite treatments will not produce the results you desire. While DIY methods seem like the most affordable and simple way to eradicate termites, they will ultimately lead to the problem growing. The chemicals that homeowners have access to are not strong enough to take out a termite colony. Even if a homeowner accesses the right chemicals, only a professional possesses the knowledge and expertise to effectively target infested areas. Attempting to treat termites yourself may also put yourself and your structure in danger.