How To Look At A House
McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of
site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes
Can termites get through a concrete slab?
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Termites cannot chew their way through concrete. But they are so tiny that two termites will fit on the head of a match. So any crack of 1/8” or more that penetrates through the slab will give them enough space to get through. The photo above is an example in a garage of a cold joint crack and their tan mud tubes rising upward as they search for wood to consume. In this case there was no wood to be found, so they gave up. But termites often come up through the slab in a concealed area, find wood, and start munching their way up the walls of a home. To learn more, go to our blog post How do termites infest a house and remain hidden while doing major damage?
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To learn more about termites, see these other blog posts:
• Should I be worried about termites if my neighbor's house is being tented?
• Is the WDO (termite) inspector allowed to poke holes in my wood siding and trim?
• Do carpenter ants cause structural damage to houses in Florida?
• How long before closing can you have a WDO (termite) inspection done?
• How long does Bora-Care® last?
• Why is it a mistake to store lumber in the crawl space under a house?
• Does the presence of carpenter ants in a house indicate that there are probably also termites?
• Are homes in Florida required to have termite protection?
• If termite damage appears to be old, does that mean that termites may no longer be present?
• How do I know if my WDO/termite report is "clear"?
• When do termites swarm in Florida?
• Does a recent termite company inspection sticker mean there are no termites?
• Can a mobile/manufactured home get termites?
• Do I have to tent the house if I have termites?
• What is the difference between a subterranean termite and a drywood termite?
• What are the green plastic discs in the ground around the house?
• How do termites get into a concrete block house?
• How do I treat wood rot that's listed in my termite-WDO report?
• Do I really need a termite-WDO inspection?
• What's causing those holes in the fascia?
• Does wood chip mulch in the yard attract termites?
• I think I have termites. What does a termite look like?
• I'm buying a concrete block house. Do I still need a termite inspection?
• I saw a little termite damage on the baseboard. Should I be concerned?
Visit our TERMITES, WOOD ROT AND PESTS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.
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