Call (678) 365-3138
Tampa made it to number three on Orkin's 2024 list of the most termite-infested cities in America! Florida's humid climate is a big problem for homeowners because it lets termites chew through wood about 7 times faster than they would in cooler parts of the country. Every year, homeowners across the state wind up spending over $500 million just to repair the damage these insects cause. The roof decking tends to be one of the first places they attack, mainly because moisture from those afternoon thunderstorms can get trapped in attics that don't have enough ventilation. Once that happens, termites will eventually make their way to the plywood or the OSB sheathing underneath, and that's when the problems start.
Once the damage reaches the point where you'll have to make structural repairs, you'll have to bring in a pest control company and a licensed roofer - and if you live in Tampa, hurricane season makes this even more urgent because your roof needs to be in solid shape when those storms roll through. As a homeowner, you want to know when sistering the damaged sections will do the job versus having to replace everything, what Tampa's building codes mean for your particular home and which prevention methods actually hold up in this humidity we get.
Here's how termite damage hits your roof and what repairs you'll need to make!
Signs That Your Roof Has Termites
Most Tampa homeowners find termite damage in their roof decking by accident. They'll head into the attic to grab those old holiday decorations or dig through some storage boxes they haven't opened in years. As they move around up there, they step down on a section of the floor that feels unusually soft underfoot. It's a weird and unsettling feeling, and this tends to mean that termites have chewed through the wood for quite a while.
From your yard, you can also see this damage if you look up at the roof line. One section might dip or sag a bit where the decking got too weak and sank down between the trusses. Getting up close to check out the boards will reveal the tunnels and little galleries that termites carve right through the OSB or plywood.
Termite damage and water damage can look pretty similar at first, and it's common to get one confused with the other. They'll each soften the wood and change its color. Termites leave behind mud tubes along the surface of it, though, and they eat right through the wood to create hollow channels inside. Water damage is a different story (it'll cause the wood to rot and swell up - not hollow out).
Plenty of termite damage will actually show up before anyone ever has to climb up into the attic. The paint on your ceiling might bubble up or start to peel when termites chew away at the wood directly above it. Moisture stains can also appear on the ceiling, and this happens even when there haven't been any recent roof leaks to explain them.
Roofers run into this all of the time during inspections or when they tear off old shingles to put down a fresh roof. A crew will peel back a section and find out that the decking underneath has been chewed through. From the attic below, everything looks fine. Once they get up on the top and try to hammer nails down into that wood, though, it just crumbles apart.
Most homeowners should plan to check their attic at least every few months - it's just a part of the basic care for your home. A quick walkthrough doesn't take very long, and it helps you catch problems before they get worse and turn into expensive fixes. Any of these red flags is a sign that it's probably time to check your roof decking and make sure everything is still in solid shape up there.
How to Fix Your Damaged Roof Decking
Termite damage in your roof decking can be fixed in a few ways, and it all depends on how bad the problem is. If we're talking about minor damage where the wood is still holding up reasonably well, your contractor can use a technique called sistering to reinforce it. Sistering is when the new boards get attached right alongside the damaged sections and brings back that lost support without the need to rip out and replace everything in your roof structure.
Moderate damage is going to mean that your contractor needs to cut out the weakened sections and replace them with new decking material. This type of repair takes a bit longer than sistering does. But it's more thorough. The damaged wood actually gets removed and replaced, instead of just being reinforced or propped up from the side.
Large-scale damage means you'll need a full replacement at that point. Your contractor is going to have to strip away the damaged material and then install brand new decking across those affected sections of your roof. This might sound like a big project, and in many ways it really is. Once termites have managed to chew through that much of your decking, though, the replacement is the only sure way to get your roof back to full structural strength.
Emergency situations don't always give you enough time to get a fix done fast enough. In those cases, a short-term fix can be just what keeps your home safe and protected as you wait for the full repair to happen. A contractor can install some bracing from underneath the structure, or they might add plywood reinforcements to hold everything together until the permanent work can be scheduled. The weather is going to play a big part in when these repairs actually get done because contractors need dry conditions if they want to finish the job right.
Most repairs take between a few days and 2 weeks from start to finish, and it depends on how much damage the crew has to work on. When they're just sistering a few boards here and there, they can usually finish that up in a day or 2 pretty easily. A decking replacement is going to need more time because everything has to get torn out first, and then the new material has to be installed and fastened correctly - and the whole process just can't be rushed if you want it to be done right.
Keep Your Roof Safe From Termites
After you have the repairs wrapped up and everything looks right again, prevention is where you'll have to focus next. The goal at this stage is to make sure those termites stay gone permanently and don't come back and treat your roof like their next comfortable home.
Stopping termites from returning depends on watching the moisture. Tampa's humidity is great for termites because they do well in damp spaces, and your attic is usually one of the worst places for trapped moisture. Ridge vents and soffit vents need to work as a team to pull the air through your attic and push that moisture out before it can build up. Your home might also benefit from some exhaust fans, particularly if your attic tends to hold extra humidity during the hotter months we get every summer.
Regular maintenance on your roof is one of the best ways to catch minor problems before they have a chance to turn into big termite problems. Summer storms can be pretty intense, and after a big one passes through, it's worth it to take a walk around your property to check for any leaks or visible damage to your roof. Any water damage, even in small amounts, deserves your attention. When the moisture seeps into your roof, it makes the wood damp enough to become extremely attractive to termites (and that's when your problems start!).
Proactive treatments can add a lot more protection if you want to add some more defense to your home. The wood around your roofline and your roof decking can be treated with products that are made to repel termites before they ever become a problem. Combining these treatments with the other prevention methods you already use works well to stop termite colonies from reaching the most vulnerable parts of your property.
Your gutters and drainage system need more attention than most homeowners give them credit for. When gutters get clogged up with leaves and debris, all that water has to go somewhere, and it's usually going to land in the worst possible places - your roof decking, your fascia boards and other parts of your home that can't take that moisture. Regular gutter cleaning should be on your maintenance checklist at least a couple of times per year, and as you check on them, take a minute to verify that your downspouts are actually moving water far enough away from your foundation and the exterior walls.
You should have your home checked annually - it's one of the best ways to catch termite problems before they get out of hand. Tampa has specific termite seasons that you want to watch, and late winter through early summer is when swarmers are at their most active. A professional inspector knows what to look for and can find the early warning signs well before termites actually set up a full colony in your roof structure.
Repair Costs and Your Insurance Options
Repair costs for termite damage in Tampa can vary quite a bit, and the final bill depends on how bad the infestation has become. Minor damage to a small section of roof decking might cost you between $500 and $1,500 when you account for the replacement wood and the labor to install it. More widespread damage that hits multiple areas or reaches into the structural supports of your home can push the costs up into the $3,000 to $8,000 range, and in some cases, the total can climb even higher than that.
Your homeowner's insurance policy probably won't cover any damage caused by termites, and most standard policies categorize this type of problem as a maintenance issue instead of a covered disaster. The logic makes sense when you compare it to other types of damage. Water damage from a burst pipe or a big storm happens fast and without much warning, so insurance will usually cover that. Termites work differently because they cause damage slowly over the course of months or years. This gives homeowners plenty of opportunities to catch the problem early. Insurance providers expect you to schedule regular inspections and take care of any infestations before they turn into bad structural damage that can cost thousands of dollars to repair.
A few factors are going to affect your final repair costs. Accessibility is a big one - if the damaged section is hard to reach, your contractors are going to need more time and extra equipment to work on it safely. A sharp pitch or an awkward location just makes the job tougher. The amount of decking that needs to be replaced will also play a large part in your total cost. As the contractors remove and replace the damaged decking, they sometimes need to adjust or reinstall the hurricane straps that were attached to it. Those straps are required for wind resistance in Tampa, and the labor to secure them properly again adds to the time and cost of the project.
Getting at least three estimates will help you figure out what a fair price looks like in your area, and you'll get to see what each contractor plans to include in their proposal. Some contractors bundle everything into one price (the materials, delivery, installation, cleanup and everything), and others like to break those services out as separate line items. One important question to ask each contractor is what they'll do if they find additional damage after they start pulling up your old roofing material.
Tampa's rainy season is going to have a big effect on your renovation budget, and most homeowners underestimate this expense when planning. Contractors are going to need to set up some temporary tarps or apply waterproofing between work days to protect your home from those afternoon thunderstorms. These temporary protection measures aren't included in most of the base estimates, so they're going to add to your total costs. The benefit is that they actually keep water from seeping into your house through any exposed areas during construction. When you're planning out your budget, you should set aside some extra money to cover these protective measures.
Protect The Roof Over Your Head
How much you'll pay for the termite damage depends on how soon you see it. Catch the problem early, and you might only need to replace a few boards or a small section of wood. Wait too long, and you could be looking at some big structural repairs to your whole roof system. Quick action is what saves you money and protects your family in the long run. Every one of these tasks helps build the defense that stops termites before they do serious damage to your home.
Owning a home in Tampa means you'll run into a few extra problems, and termites are one of the big ones. You'll have to manage them regularly to protect your property long-term. Your home is worth that level of care.
Tampa has some pretty aggressive termites, and to take care of them, you need professionals who actually know what they're doing. Colony Roofers works with commercial and residential roofing work throughout Georgia, Florida and Texas. Free inspections and professional roof repairs are available to help protect your property and your family or employees. Give us a call, and our team will make sure your roof gets the care and attention that it needs.
