Is this termite damage?

snosurfa7

Is this termite damage?

I already had wood rot on the window trim when I bought the house, have termite warranty/agreement, was clear but now these little holes have showed up making me suspicious...

I have not seen any other evidence of termites/carpenter ants yet but I just noticed this the other day. We do live near water and woods occasionally see a wood roach outside.

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Big Bob

probably...take an icepick or a nut pick and probe a couple of the holes to see if they connect to tunnels or channels. If the channel is smooth (like it has been sanded = termites) termites like going with the grain of the wood... must taste better or easier to chew... the small round holes are made so they can clean out their waste from their passage ways.

Check your termite warranty... is it a repair bond or a retreat bond.. their promiss to retreat that area at no extra charge once your have made the repairs?

snosurfa7

So my termite guy came by today and took a look at the wood...he says this is mostly just moisture rot with likely wood boring beetles creating those holes. He was 99% certain those were not termites given that there was no other evidence at all (sawdust etc) around the areas.

I was going to take off the trim this Spring but I'll just do it sooner now, it needs to be done either way.

thanks

Dyoung

Dont delay though.

We have post beetles and they have eaten out several roof rafters, thus necessitating an emergency repair on the roof.

BugsBugMe

A good exterminator would have been 100% sure that this was not caused by termites. Those perfectly round exit holes were created by a beetle. Most likely a powderpost beetle but impossible to say for sure without a photo.