It’s easy for wood rot or dry rot to occur within the wood that makes direct contact with the ground or concrete. It’s also imperative to inspect for termites because they can cause horrific damage to the structure of your home without you even realizing it until it’s too late. This is how to maintain your concrete:

This is a Preventative Maintenance Task!

It is critical to check for wood rot and termites because avoiding it can result in thousands in repairs. Termites can quietly and quickly destroy a home’s wood and foundation.

Tasks can be done by: Homeowner, handyman, home inspector, exterminator & pest control

How To Maintain Your Concrete | Task Steps

Step 1 – Walk around your home to find where to inspect

• First, you might want to take a quick stroll around the inside and outside of your home to see if this task even applies to you.
• Anywhere where the wood on your home makes direct contact with the ground or concrete are areas worth inspecting.

Step 2 – Inspect for wood rot & what to look for

When it comes to wood rot, there are two different kinds to watch out for:

• White rot–If the wood has a yellowish-white discoloration and is spongy to the touch, it is probably white rot.
• Brown rot–If the wood looks like it’s split into cubes across the grain and is dry and powdery, it is perhaps brown rot.
• Stick a pointy probe (screwdriver will work) into the wood to test if the wood is solid, feels soft, or flakes apart.
• If you discover any type of wood rot, it’s best to call a professional to fix your problem.
  • Tool List: screwdriver

Step 3 – Inspect for termites & what to look for

Termites are best known as the insect that destroys the wood in and around your home. However, homeowners will commonly mistake these insects for white ants, but they are not the type of roommates you want to share your home with. Here are a few things to watch out for:

• The most obvious way to know you have termites is by seeing them. Termites can fly around your property in swarms. Similarly, termites will shed their wings, so keeping an eye open for discarded wings in spider webs, on windowsills, or just lying in the vicinity of your home.
• Pay attention to your drywall condition. Look for any sort of discoloration or anything that resembles water damage. You might even be able to see tiny holes within your drywall, which can be a massive indicator that termites are or were present at some point.
• Termites will leave little tunnel systems throughout the wood within your home. Go around to potential problem areas and tap on the wood to see if it sounds hollow in any sort of way.
• Look for any deterioration in the wood around your home, like crumbly wood. Those tiny tunnels termites create can be spotted within other types of wood furniture, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for maze-like patterns that weren’t there previously.
• In addition, the last big thing you should inspect is mud channels. There will be tiny tubes of mud traveling up the sides of the foundation around your home. They are roads for termites & are huge indicators that your home may have a termite problem.

If you discover termites, it’s best to call a professional to exterminate them. Then, have the situation assessed to determine the extent of wood and structural damage.

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