Termite Damage Repair: A Complete Guide
Purge the pests and then patch up to protect your home
If you've discovered a termite infestation, it's not an experience you'll soon forget. And if your home incurs expensive damages to its structures due to these pests, you’ll need to make a plan for termite damage repair.
While learning how to repair termite damage to your home isn’t always a simple process, taking prompt action and knowing when to call the pros helps minimize the damage and prevent problems in the future. Let’s review how to fix termite damage to your house with minimal stress.
Can Termite Damage Be Repaired?
It’s absolutely possible to repair termite damage. However, the type and extent of repairs depend on the size of the swarm and how long the termites have been left to their own devices. Another factor is the location and state of the termite-damaged wood. In some cases, especially when there are structural concerns, ripping out and replacing termite-damaged wood might be the only safe option. Consult a local termite control specialist to determine the extent and severity of the termite-induced damage.
Best Places To Look for Termite Damage
The sooner you spot the signs of a termite invasion, the better. Although rare, a termite infestation can affect a home’s structural integrity and cause aesthetic damage to furniture and carpets if left untreated.
Early intervention minimizes the extent of repairs, including fixing holes in doors. Signs of an infestation include:
Buckling walls or ceiling
Exit holes on wooden surfaces
Peeling paint
Drooping or discolored drywall
Maze-like designs or patterns in wooden furniture
Swarms of termites in or around your property
Evidence of discarded termite wings near windows, doors, and other access points
Mud tubes on your home’s foundation
How to Repair Termite Damage
Follow these guidelines to ensure your home is fully repaired after termite damage.
1. Make Sure Termites Are Eradicated
Before you begin any corrective work, you need to get rid of the termite infestation. It’s best to hire a termite control professional near you to identify the type of termite species, the best treatment options, and the best areas to focus the treatment.
Plus, a termite professional will provide more comprehensive treatment, often using drills, spray tanks, and elongated metal rods to inject treatment into the ground. Note that it may take more than one round to fully eradicate a termite infestation. The average cost of termite treatment ranges from $230 to $950, depending on how much the termites have taken over.
2. Get an Inspection to Understand the Extent of the Damage
It’s critical that you accurately evaluate the extent of the damage caused by an infestation. Hidden issues are common. A professional termite inspection can assess if the home’s foundation, walls, studs, and other “bones” have been affected.
Your inspection will also help you understand if the repairs are the type you can attempt yourself. The average cost of a termite inspection is between $50 and $250, depending on the location and size of your home.
3. Determine What Wood Damage You Can Repair on Your Own
Depending on the extent of the damage, you can repair minor cosmetic wood damages on your own pretty quickly.
Use Wood Hardeners or Fillers to Fill in Gaps
If the wood has minimal damage or discoloration, chisel or sand away the problematic spot and use wood hardener or filler in the gaps. Once the hardener or filler is dry, sand it down to smooth the surface and use a sealant for a protective finish.
Be aware that wood filler can crack in humid environments. In warmer climates, replacing the damaged section might be a better alternative than using filler. The cost of fixing termite damage yourself using supplies like wood filler or hardeners will cost about $100.
Add Additional Support to Weakened Areas
If the damage is too extensive to fill the gap, you may need to add wooden beam support to fortify the area. However, if the damaged wood is structural, you should consult an experienced contractor or a local structural engineer to ensure you’ve added enough support to protect your home.
4. Leave Extensive Damage to a Professional
If there are concerns about structural integrity, you will likely need more extensive professional repairs. Some areas of the home, such as the foundation, need to comply with state building code regulations, and the repairs can be complex.
Professional termite damage repair costs typically range from $300 to $3,000, depending on the extent and location of damage. Unfortunately, more extensive termite damage will lead to more expensive repair costs. However, the hefty price tag will be worth it to keep your home structurally sound.
5. Keep Records of Your Termite Damage and Repairs
Always keep a record of termite repairs done to your home. For one, the law requires that you reveal pest damage when selling your home. You should save documentation related to the termite inspection and receipts from the corresponding repairs. You can use your records:
To obtain insurance compensation
As evidence in a legal case
As proof that you remedied the situation before the sale
Common Termite Damage Repair Project Costs
When you encounter termite damage, the extent of the issue is what determines how much the repairs cost. For example, structural damage will cost more to fix than basic cosmetic damage to wood features. Here’s how much termite damage repairs cost:
| Damage | Cost to Repair |
|---|---|
| Floor discoloration | $1–$3 per square foot |
| Wall discoloration | $2–$6 per square foot |
| Bending or buckling flooring | $5–$25 per square foot |
| Chipping paint | $4–$8 per square |
| Replacing rotted beams | $1,500–$5,000 each |
| Drywall repair | $60–$200 per small hole |
| Wood siding replacement | $1,000 and $37,500, depending on home size |
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Repairing termite damage is easier if you discover these pests early enough and they’ve done minimal damage. You can DIY sand, repaint, and refinish basic cosmetic damage to your wood surfaces, depending on the type of wood. Consult a local termite control specialist to determine whether your home’s damage is DIYable or needs a more serious fix.
Hiring professional help is necessary if there’s serious structural damage to your home. Unless you have direct experience building or repairing foundations and other parts of a home, you should leave it to the professionals. A carpenter or contractor has the tools and experience necessary to repair any major damage.
Even if you are able to fix basic cosmetic issues, you’ll still want to hire a professional exterminator to get rid of the termites. Without the right chemicals and equipment, getting rid of termites is a nearly impossible job.
How to Prevent Further Termite Infestations
Taking preventative termite control steps can help reduce the chances of you experiencing another infestation and subsequent repairs. Some routine pest mitigation measures you can implement include:
Seal settlement gaps
Implement proper grading and drainage to prevent moisture from gathering around your foundation
Repair pipe leaks promptly
Remove vent blockages for better airflow
Replace rotten or damaged wood
Prevent plants, shrubs, and trees from growing up against your home
Clear gutters and downspouts to prevent water buildup
Keep wooden building parts like siding, and door and window frames at least six inches above the ground
Avoid storing wood against your home’s walls
Get an annual termite inspection by a professional inspector
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t have to worry about a termite infestation wreaking havoc on your home within days or weeks. It takes several months or years for significant structural damage to occur. The destruction rate depends on the colony’s size and maturity, the wood they’re feeding on, and the local conditions. Serious termite damage usually takes 3 to 8 years. But you should still take steps to treat your home and prevent termite return as soon as you spot their signs.
Termite damage isn’t always a deal breaker when buying a house, but don’t dismiss it. If that’s the case, you should hire a professional termite inspection to understand the extent of the damage, type of termite, state of repairs, and whether the infestation is gone.
If the termites are gone and the current owners repaired the damage, you might want to proceed. You may even be able to use the damage as a bargaining point. However, don’t forget that home insurance policies often don’t cover termite treatment or repairs and active infestations are tricky to shift.
There’s indeed no guarantee termites won’t return to your home, even after top-notch professional treatment. In areas where these hardy pests are prevalent, it can be tricky to banish them for good.
However, maintaining preventative measures, keeping a close eye out for early signs, and purchasing an ongoing professional treatment management plan can ensure you keep termites at bay and reduce the chance of any damage. Professional whole-house termite treatments can last five years or more.
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