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How Do Termite Inspections Differ Between Crawlspace Houses And Basement Houses? Which Type Of Foundation Is Most Susceptible To Termite Attack?

Many homes that were built before the 1970s, and virtually all homes that were built before the 1950s are outdated in the sense that they were constructed before contractors were legally obligated to incorporate termite-resistant structural features into housing designs. During and before the 1950s, when the pest control industry was still in its infancy, homes were not constructed with termite pests in mind. For example, many pre-code homes contain lumber components that make contact with the ground soil. Today, it is well known that structural or cosmetic wood sources that make contact with the ground soil provide subterranean termites with direct access into a home’s timber frame. 

Most of the houses that people see today have a concrete or brick masonry foundation that serves as a barrier between soil-dwelling subterranean termites and the structural wood within homes. However, subterranean termites are able to construct mud tubes that protrude from the ground and make direct contact with structural wood sources within a home. These vertical mud tubes lead to indoor structural wood sources by squeezing through incredibly narrow foundation cracks. Mud tubes are usually visible on the foundation of homes infested with subterranean termites. While subterranean termites are ultimately able to bypass foundations in order to reach a home’s structural wood, the prohibition of lumber-to-soil contact in housing designs has drastically slowed the rate of subterranean termite infestation in the US. However, even the newest homes are built on flawed foundations that make homes susceptible to termite attack.

There exists many different types of foundation designs, but generally, crawlspace or raised foundations are better protected from termite infestations than slab-on-ground foundations, which includes basements. Crawl space foundations allow pest control professionals to crawl beneath houses in order to thoroughly inspect the most important structural features in homes for termite damage. Specifically, crawl space foundations allow professionals to visually inspect structural wood within wall voids, especially studs, piers, pillars, wood sills, headers and joists. Slab-on-ground foundations, on the other hand, are far more difficult to inspect, as most of a home’s structural wood components remain hidden within wall voids where they cannot be visually inspected. When slab-on-ground homes are inspected, pest control professionals have to carefully probe and sound windowsills, window frames, door frames, and wood baseboards in order to detect wood that has been hollowed out by termites. Subterranean termite infestations that occur in slab-on-ground houses are often located toward the bottom of a home’s exterior walls.

Do you know which type of foundation your home has?

Many homes that were built before the 1970s, and virtually all homes that were built before the 1950s are outdated in the sense that they were constructed before contractors were legally obligated to incorporate termite-resistant structural features into housing designs. During and before the 1950s, when the pest control industry was still in its infancy, homes were not constructed with termite pests in mind. For example, many pre-code homes contain lumber components that make contact with the ground soil. Today, it is well known that structural or cosmetic wood sources that make contact with the ground soil provide subterranean termites with direct access into a home’s timber frame. 

Most of the houses that people see today have a concrete or brick masonry foundation that serves as a barrier between soil-dwelling subterranean termites and the structural wood within homes. However, subterranean termites are able to construct mud tubes that protrude from the ground and make direct contact with structural wood sources within a home. These vertical mud tubes lead to indoor structural wood sources by squeezing through incredibly narrow foundation cracks. Mud tubes are usually visible on the foundation of homes infested with subterranean termites. While subterranean termites are ultimately able to bypass foundations in order to reach a home’s structural wood, the prohibition of lumber-to-soil contact in housing designs has drastically slowed the rate of subterranean termite infestation in the US. However, even the newest homes are built on flawed foundations that make homes susceptible to termite attack.

There exists many different types of foundation designs, but generally, crawlspace or raised foundations are better protected from termite infestations than slab-on-ground foundations, which includes basements. Crawl space foundations allow pest control professionals to crawl beneath houses in order to thoroughly inspect the most important structural features in homes for termite damage. Specifically, crawl space foundations allow professionals to visually inspect structural wood within wall voids, especially studs, piers, pillars, wood sills, headers and joists. Slab-on-ground foundations, on the other hand, are far more difficult to inspect, as most of a home’s structural wood components remain hidden within wall voids where they cannot be visually inspected. When slab-on-ground homes are inspected, pest control professionals have to carefully probe and sound windowsills, window frames, door frames, and wood baseboards in order to detect wood that has been hollowed out by termites. Subterranean termite infestations that occur in slab-on-ground houses are often located toward the bottom of a home’s exterior walls.

Do you know which type of foundation your home has?