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Sheetrock, also known as drywall, is used to make walls and ceilings in homes. It is composed of thick sheets of paperboard and plaster panels. This means that it is partly made from cellulose, which is the main food source for termites, and that termites will attack drywall when they infest the home. The good news is that you might be able to detect an infestation more easily if it is set up in your drywood. Here is what you have to keep an eye out for:

Signs that termites have damaged the drywall

The main problem with identifying termite infestations is that termites will be careful not to create any outward signs that they are inside the wood. They will tunnel in it and not breach the surface. However, when the damage becomes too great, or if a piece of wood is thin enough, the damage will become apparent. Drywall is very thin, which is great for detecting termite infestations, because signs of damage will be visible fairly early on.

On top of that, you can check for mud tubes, which are somewhat cylindrical columns of dirt that extend from the ground onto the wood. Subterranean termites need to use these tubes when they travel outside of the ground, otherwise they will die from dehydration. Drywood termites on the other hand, do not need to use these tubes, because they live entirely inside of the wood that they eat, but they do need to create tiny evacuation holes. When inspecting for termites, you can also keep an eye out for these two signs.

What to do when you’ve detected termite damage

If you notice what looks like water damage on your drywall, or bubbling and peeling on its paint, then it may be infested by termites. In this situation, you will have to move on to your control options. While there are some extermination methods which you can employ yourself, it’s best to call over a pest control pro, who is able to perform a full home inspection and detect how widespread the infestation is throughout the building, and then completely exterminate all the termites in the home. If the control process is incomplete and the colonies are not killed off or completely prevented from accessing wood, you can expect your home to be reinfested and the damage to continue. If you would like to know more about termite control, contact us today.