Termites
Termites are subterranean insects that cause property damage by eating your house from the inside out. They eat wood and will find many ways to get in your property. They are a hidden threat to properties in Toronto.
How did they get to Toronto?
The subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes first arrived in Toronto in 1938 through the harbour near Cherry Street. It is suspected that they were offloaded from cargo ships that arrived from the United States. Since then, termites have spread to areas in the north, east and west. Today, they are established throughout downtown neighbourhoods and also in pockets throughout the Greater Toronto Area including: Toronto, East York, Scarborough, York, North York, Etobicoke, New Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Thornhill, Markham, Newmarket, Pickering, Whitby and Oshawa. They are also established in towns throughout southwestern Ontario.
What do they do?
Termites live in colonies 30ft under ground. They dig upwards and into houses in search of food. They enter through weak spots in your foundation, then keep eating through your house out of sight. They are known to eat away at homes for years if untreated.
Where do they Live?
Termites live in colonies with a queen, secondary reproductives, winged reproductives, soldiers and workers. Worker termites are sometimes confused with ants; however, they are distinguished by their off-white colour. Termites rarely expose themselves to the open air; they remain hidden in mud tunnels, wood or soil. The nests of termites can be decentralized and follow a loose pattern in their movement activity. The colony will forage or concentrate their activity in different locations at different times via a network of extensive subterranean tunnels. In addition, in early spring, winged reproductives, also known as “alates”, may leave the nest to form new colonies.
Why should I be concerned?
Termites are a hidden danger for property owners in Toronto. Since they live inside walls, identifying a termite infestation before it’s too late can be difficult. They can cause a large amount of damage to your home if left ignored. It is estimated they are responsible for $120M+ property damage per year in the GTA alone.
Termite Prevention
Termites need 3 things to live happy lives. Those are:
Soil: Most termites are subterranean, meaning that they build their colonies in the ground. They love the soil and build elaborate tunnel systems, called galleries, extending up to three feet below the surface. Termites will often use this versatile building material to create mud tubes leading from their underground colonies to above ground food sources, like the wood in your home.
Wood: Termites will consume any material that contains cellulose, and since wood contains a great deal of cellulose, termites devour wood voraciously. If a single piece of wood touches the ground, be certain that a colony of termites somewhere will know about it. Although some subterranean termites will consume other materials like vegetation, dung and humus, their primary source of food, and their favourite, is wood.
Water: As with most living things, termites generally cannot survive without a source of water present. Whether in the form of a leaky faucet or the natural precipitation process of rain, termites will always seek some source of moisture to survive.
What you should know if you…
Now that the three conditions for termite survival have been identified, we can now look at how to prevent termites from interfering with your life.
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Own or Maintain a Property
- Identify and fix all water leaks in your home, both internal and external. As mentioned above, termites need water, and it does not matter where they get it. If the water source comes from your home, all the better for the colony. It means they do not have to work as hard. Eliminating their water source removes one of the three requirements for survival.
- Remove any brush or heavy growth from around the foundation walls of your home. Vegetation can create areas of intense moisture, which is necessary for colony survival. Termites like it wet, so try and disappoint them as much as possible.
- Periodically, get your home inspected for termite damage. A once-a-year inspection is included with your warranty, and can save your home with early detection. If termites are not found in the home, the trained pest control specialists can at least offer recommendations to help you prevent an invasion. They may catch something you missed.
- Eliminate any standing or pooling water from around your home. It may be necessary to grade the surrounding land so that water does not drain toward the home. It is important to keep pooling water away from your foundation walls. This creates a good opportunity for termites.
- Store all excess building materials and firewood away from the house. Remember that wood is their primary food source. Scrap wood touching the ground is an open invitation to hungry termites. If your property is not large enough for wood storage away from the house, create barriers beneath the wood to prevent direct access to the termites. Thick concrete slabs or heavy duty metal stands can be used to raise the wood off of the ground.
- Avoid using mulch near your home. Non-organic alternatives are safer.
- Never bury waste lumber or wood scraps in your yard. It acts as a magnet to termites and directs them to your property.
- Remove any dead trees, old stumps, or roots in your yard. As these items decay, they attract termites to the area by providing a food source. When the food is gone, the termite colony will look for new sources of food. This includes your house.
- Seal any cracks or holes within the foundation of your home. This will help prevent easy access for wandering termites.
- Keep all gutters and waterlines clean of debris. Clogged gutters and waterlines leak, creating pools of water close to the house.
Plan on Building or Renovating a Basement
- When finishing a basement, sprayed in foam or rigid board insulation should not be used in a basement environment (or below grade), both on the interior or exterior of the foundation wall.
- Aetna recommends basements be insulated with Rock Wool and framed in with treated wood.
- Seal any cracks or holes within the foundation of your home. This will help prevent easy access for wandering termites.
- Get your home inspected for termite damage. If you are already in the process of renovating a basement, it is easier to find evidence of termites that would usually be hidden.
- Make sure your home is properly ventilated, including your attic and internal crawl space areas. Adequate airflow prevents the buildup of moisture needed by termite colonies.
Are Doing Landscaping
- Remove any brush or heavy growth from the foundation of your home. Vegetation can create areas of intense moisture, which is necessary for colony survival. Termites like it wet, so try and disappoint them as much as possible.
- Eliminate any standing or pooling water from around your home. It may be necessary to grade the surrounding land so that water does not drain toward the home.
- Avoid using mulch near your home. Mulch provides two things to hungry termites: a food source and a water source. The qualities of mulch that make it attractive for use in the garden are the very qualities that attract termites. If mulch is placed near the exterior of your home, it is only a small step for a termites to move into your walls. As an alternative to wood mulch, try using one of the newer rubber mulches now available at your local home improvement center. They have the look of mulch and the benefits of mulch without providing the risks.
- Never bury waste lumber or wood scraps in your yard. It acts as a magnet to termites and directs them to your property.
- Remove any dead trees, old stumps, or roots in your yard. As these items decay, they attract termites to the area by providing a food source. When the food is gone, the termites will look for new sources of food. This includes your house.