Wood-Destroying Fungi: The Quietest Demolition Crew
When it comes to property damage, there’s one group of microorganisms that destroys more homes than fires and termites combined: wood-eating fungi. Left unchecked, cellulose-munching fungi can set up shop in the wooden structures of your home and chomp away—threatening the structural integrity of your foundation and costing you thousands of dollars in repairs.
While wood-eating fungi may not be as noticeable (or as creepy) as pests with legs, it’s important that your home stays protected behind-the-scenes all year long. Fortunately, at U.S. Pest Protection, our wood fungi treatments in Tennessee can help. Our fungus professionals can identify and treat wood-destroying organisms that have taken root in your home, as well as assess your home’s general vulnerability to a future fungal invasion.
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Detecting the Fungus Among Us
Unlike pests with legs, wood-destroying fungi do not crawl around your home but rather take the form of mold. While common household pests typically alert you to their presence, mold usually grows in rarely visited places—which makes it extremely difficult to find. However, mold releases billions of spores into the air you breathe. If you find that illnesses, respiratory issues, or allergies get better when you’re away from your house, then you may have a fungus problem. Persistent, musty odors are also a good indicator of a mold problem, but it usually requires a U.S. Pest Protection professional to determine the source.
How does mold grow in my home?
Mold requires water to grow, so it commonly takes root in areas that have been damaged by water or where there’s an active leak. (Water damage can be identified by peeling or bubbling paint, discoloration, or bulging in your walls or ceilings.) However, damp and humid areas—such as basements or crawl spaces—also run the risk of becoming a host for mold.
Brown Rot, White Rot, Wet Rot, Dry Rot
There are numerous types of wood-destroying fungi, but they all share many common characteristics. Regardless of names like “brown rot” or “white rot,” fungi require ample moisture from their host wood to survive. Once they’ve found a moist place to grow, they produce enzymes that target the wood’s cellulose—a stiff, sturdy compound that makes up the wood’s cell walls. When feeding upon cellulose, fungi consume the very essence of what makes wood such an excellent building material.
U.S. Pest Protection: Protecting Your Home from the Bottom Up
At U.S. Pest Protection, we specialize in treating and preventing wood fungi in at-risk, moisture-prone areas. Utilizing Bora-Care® with Mold-Care®, we form a protective envelope around the wood inside your home, which effectively prevents fungus and harmful pests like drywood termites. Plus, our advanced wood fungi treatments feature an active borate ingredient (a wood preservative that is composed of naturally occurring minerals) that’s odorless and won’t discolor wood or damage building materials.
If you’re ready to safeguard your home from wood-destroying fungi, contact us today to schedule your free fungus inspection in Tennessee. Interested in taking fungi prevention one step further? Our partner U.S. Crawlspace is ready to provide you with advanced crawl space encapsulation solutions.