The ActiveTalker

As I was walking in our neighborhood this afternoon, I noticed some houses are infested with termites. To tell if your house suffers from termite infestation is when you see small piles of sand-sized droppings. If the infestation deteriorates, you can obviously see structural damages.

The kind of termite that usually infests a house are called drywood termites. These are common in the Philippines as they don’t require moisture or contact with the soil. Houses in the Philippines are usually made of wood or most of its parts are wood. The trusses of old (and some new) houses in the Philippines are made of wood making them prone to termite-infestation.

A common way method of termite-proofing wooden parts of the house is applying a chemical called solignum. It is derived from the Latin word lignum, or “wood”. The prefix “so” was probably derived from the international distress signal “SOS”. It was first used in 1894.

Another method used in the Philippines is applying used oil. I asked some carpenters why they apply this and they said it kills termites that come into contact with it, and it will repel those who come near it. It also repels water, thus, protecting the wood from water damage.

Even if new houses that has trusses made of metal are less prone to termite infestation, wood furniture inside the house are still prone. You can prevent termite infestation by making sure there are no cracks or crevices around the outside of your house, thus, preventing the termites from entering.

If you the infestation is already beyond your control, you can always call a pest control company.