Are termites a problem? (Austin: rental, houses, buy)

[mitchell.glass]

Hey, moving from upstate NY, to austin, thank god, 3 days of snow and ice are enough for me. Are termites a real problem with homes in Austin? any feedback?

[CptnRn]

Yes, termites are a common problem. You have to keep an eye out for them and if detected treat the foundation from time to time. Wood fences are real popular in Austin, and I have seen termite signs in almost every old fence I have looked at closely. Same is true of wood piles for the fire place, keep them away from your house.

[verybadgnome]

I had termites. Most areas of the southern US are subject to them. Got it treated about a year ago. They dug a small trench around the perimeter of the house and used their chemical treatment to prevent further infestation. They ate through some of the siding but did not touch the framing. Ended up doing about $1k in damage. Mandatory home inspections will most likely tell you if you have a problem with a potential home, but more advanced infrared technologies are also available.

All in all I would be more concerned about potential foundation issues than termites.

Keeping moisture away from the siding of your house via rain gutters and removal of clutter helps to avoid infestation.

[chuck_steak]

I have a stone house so it's not an issue for me. The best best is not to get a wooden house if you don't want termites.

[G Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by chuck_steak

I have a stone house so it's not an issue for me. The best best is not to get a wooden house if you don't want termites.

I may be wrong, but it is my impression that most modern "stone" houses just have a jacket of stone over the wood house. I am wondering if stone houses are not just as vulnerable to termites as wood ones, as the termites can pick on the framing and foundation wood just as easily as siding. Am I wrong about that?

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

I was wondering the same thing about the veneer stone/brick.

Also, don't stone houses still have wooden frames?

[cinnamon_toast]

Our home is stone (exterior walls are probably 18" thick, solid stone) and I do not believe that there is any exterior wood framing. The roof, however, is framed with wood and we did have a termite issue around an exterior door frame and on some interior wood trim.

[ATX Homeboy]

Love that pic, lmao.
Chuck steak and cinnamin toast, for real? Y'all sound about as smart as well, chuck steak and cinnamin toast. Didn't youz guyz watch ur homes being built? If not, theres a tv show called "this old house" might wanna check it out sometime.
The only way you dont have an interior wood frame is if its been made out of cinderblox or steel frame.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by cinnamon_toast

Our home is stone (exterior walls are probably 18" thick, solid stone) and I do not believe that there is any exterior wood framing. The roof, however, is framed with wood and we did have a termite issue around an exterior door frame and on some interior wood trim.

If it was built 150 years ago, the exterior walls might be solid stone, but its highly unlikely if its much newer then that.

[Trainwreck20]

Termites are a relatively common problem, but also easily preventable/treatable. The ones around here live in the ground and up the slab to walls of the house. There, they will either attack the siding (if wood) or the framing. My understanding is that wood siding is generally damaged much earlier than the actual frame of the house. Almost every house will have wood framing. I suppose you could have steel, but it is actually a 'fire' hazard, since steel collapses rapidly when the house burns, whereas wood can last a long time before losing its load capacity.

Anyway, most anyone can walk around the house occasionally and look for the tell-tale 'mud tunnels' that the termites create. These small meandering mud paths travel from the ground to the siding and then disappear. When you buy a home, most home inspectors do not do a termite inspection; instead, a separate person is hired solely for that purpose (not sure exactly why). If a house has spent many years as a rent house, then it is a higher risk for termite damage. I lived in several rental properties over the years, and in two of them there was significant termite damage and the out-of-state owner of one balked at treating. I sometimes wonder if that house is still standing - in some places, the siding has been eaten out under the paint, and only the paint was left.