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September 28, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

What Will Termite Companies Never Tell You? (Part 1)

Rotten deck lg

Including:

    – Do termites like redwood?

    – What makes wood susceptible to termites?

    – To be Followed by: Termite Prevention

This article series is a summary of years of construction work observations.

Termites are not the only wood-eating pests, but they do the most damage to homes in Southern California.

There are two main classes of problem termites in Southern Califonia (and the country): drywood termites and subterranean (underground) termites. The drywood type is seen much more often and likes wood with low moisture in it. Subterranean termites live under ground and like moisture.

To get to wood subterranean termites will make a mud tube or tunnel going up across the concrete foundation to the wood. They are usually known by their tubes and which are hidden under the building. Sometimes they are visible on the outside of a foundation or inside a house. You can do an internet search for pictures of all this. As they are less common in my experience than the drywood type I am not certain but I do believe that they prefer the same wood as the drywood termites do (more on that later).  I do know that by far most boards in most houses do not have termites. But I also have seen sections of many boards of house framing destroyed by termites – enough that I was wondering just what was holding up that part of the house?

There is a datum that most people have heard: Termites will stay away from redwood and cedar. But is it true?

As a contractor, I believed this too. Until in one year, about 10 or 15 years ago, I saw three redwood decks at three different houses in the Los Angeles area. These decks had been pretty well demolished by termites. Either termites had changed their dietary preferences, or there is more to the story. Or both.

A few years later I overhauled another house with two redwood decks. The redwood ALL needed replacing, due to rot and termite damage. However the important lessons were not in the redwood, but what I observed in the supporting joist boards.

I had always wondered – why do termites eat some boards, and not others?

Most of the wood under a first floor – above a crawl space, and most of the wood in an attic, is completely accessible to termites. Actually, given that termites only need about a 1/8″ gap to get to a board, most boards in a house are accessible to termites So why (by far) are most boards on most houses termite-free? (They don’t get a chemical treatment when they are built!)

The joists in that last house mentioned above ran under the floor and stuck out over the hill. The decks boards were laid across them and nailed in. As this was an older hillside home – by L.A. standards – the joists were fully exposed under the house. This is where it gets interesting. In board after board, the termite damage only went back about six or eight inches under the wall of the house. Only one board had termite damage about two feet back, but the rest, some 30 boards, only had damage under the house 6-8″ back. But where exposed to the weather, they were all damaged to the point where it was dangerous to walk on the deck.

WHY did the termites stop?

Visit my next post (next week) where we will explore the answers to these questions.

Copyright 2013 by Brandon D’Rion

Filed Under: Articles, Handyman Blog Tagged With: facts about termites, glendale handyman, hollywood hills handyman

September 22, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

Chinese Gate

Lion Iron Chinese Gate D'Rion

One of many projects at this Hollywood Hills home.  Responsibilities included finding the basic design, finding an iron gate company capable of executing the design beautifully, babysitting the project until it was done. “Minor” details included adding a doorbell button / intercom with camera, and a securely mounted lock box for fire department access.

Filed Under: Handyman Blog, Slider Tagged With: custom iron gate, entryway, hollywood hills handyman

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Recent Posts

  • Termites (Part 3) Termite Resistant Construction
  • Laundry Closet in Silverlake
  • Bathroom in Altadena
  • What Will Termite Companies Never Tell You? (Part 2)
  • What Will Termite Companies Never Tell You? (Part 1)

Termites (Part 3) Termite Resistant Construction

October 24, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

Termite Prevention and Construction Excellent termite summaries are available from UC Davis Statewide Integrated Pest Management (links at end of this article). Fighting off Subterranean (under ground) Termites: You should probably have a termite inspection periodically. Someone should crawl the whole crawl space looking at the foundations for evidence of subterranean (under ground) termites. They […]

Laundry Closet in Silverlake

October 8, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

This was framed, plumbed, and custom doors added to match the house style.  It meant no more trips down to the basement.  

Bathroom in Altadena

October 8, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

Plumbing, Drywall, Venting, a Hardwood Paneled Door, Glass Blocks, and Tile were part of pulling this bathroom together. The photos were taken before plumbing fixtures, faucets and shower door were installed. <CLICK ON A PICTURE TO ENLARGE>

What Will Termite Companies Never Tell You? (Part 2)

October 4, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

Why did the termites stop eating six to eight inches back under the outside edge of the house on most joist boards? Here is the sequence: 1. Continued wetness of wood allows the growth of fungus. This occurs when it rains a lot. This is worse when water is trapped between two touching boards. Fungus […]

What Will Termite Companies Never Tell You? (Part 1)

September 28, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

Including:     – Do termites like redwood?     – What makes wood susceptible to termites?     – To be Followed by: Termite Prevention This article series is a summary of years of construction work observations. Termites are not the only wood-eating pests, but they do the most damage to homes in Southern California. There are […]

Silverlake kitchen remodeling

Silverlake Kitchen /Breakfast Room

September 27, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

Careful demolition and custom framing for a revised kitchen and breakfast room layout which included new and more windows throughout, new cabinets, etc. Also built a closet for the washer and dryer that matches the style of the house. < CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE>

Kitchen Remodeling, Glendale California - D'Rion Construction

Altadena Kitchen Remodeling Project

September 25, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

< CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE> Tile work on  kitchen counters, wood panels seen at left, wood counter.  

Chinese Gate

September 22, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

One of many projects at this Hollywood Hills home.  Responsibilities included finding the basic design, finding an iron gate company capable of executing the design beautifully, babysitting the project until it was done. “Minor” details included adding a doorbell button / intercom with camera, and a securely mounted lock box for fire department access.

Power vent installation in pasadena

Added Power Vent

September 21, 2013 By Brandon D'Rion

This was a stove hood vent carefully added under an existing stove hood area in an original Craftsman style house in Pasadena.  The vent included an adjustable light and filter screens.  The job included ducting out through the roof and electrical hookup.

Company Profile

D'Rion Construction is owned and operated by Brandon D'Rion and is based in Glendale California. Offering Handyman Services and general interior and exterior remodeling services, Brandon is known in his trade by his ability to solve even the most difficult problems.

Recent Posts

  • Termites (Part 3) Termite Resistant Construction
  • Laundry Closet in Silverlake
  • Bathroom in Altadena
  • What Will Termite Companies Never Tell You? (Part 2)
  • What Will Termite Companies Never Tell You? (Part 1)

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