How to Treat Termite Nest on Brick Wall {Can They Get Through Brick?}

Can you spot termites on brick? Do you want to know How to Treat Termite Nest on Brick Wall?

Does a brick house mean that it is termite-proof? How would termites get through brick?

In this article, we’ll find out how to treat a termite nest on a brick wall and much more in regards to termite prevention strategies.

How to Treat Termite Nest on Brick Wall

Termites don’t nest on brick walls. They use cracks, holes and weathering issues on brick to find passageways through it to get to the wooden framing or drywall behind it. You will need chemical deterrents, termiticide, borate, boric acid or professional help.

Brick is not 100% impenetrable. Termites are tiny, sleek and stealth when squeezing through brick or piping and wiring established next to or through the brick to get to their ultimate prize.

Cellulose is waiting for them behind or around the brick. This staple meal is rich in wood that may be piled up near the brick on the house or surely awaiting them on the inside.

Is My Brick House Safe From Termites?

Sorry, but this is a myth that needs to be debunked right here and right now. Brick homes are not safe from termite colonies.

Yes, brick is better than wood, drywall and even concrete. Termites don’t eat brick and concrete, but they are sleek, stealth and silent destroyers. If there is a way through the brick, they will find it.

In many cases, brick is supported by wooden frames. These frames that outline the slabs of brick that have been laid, can become targets for termites.

How Do Termites Get Through Brick?

Brick that is solid and stacked without any cracks or holes is going to be nearly impossible for termites to get through. All it takes is tiny cracks or holes to develop through weathering or other means for an opening to allow termites to get through brick.

Termites know there is a pot of gold behind that brick. Most brick home have wooden frames or drywall behind it. If brick is wet, moist and lit with outdoor lights, it will attract termites to it. They are looking for:

  • expansion joints
  • holes in plumbing
  • spaces between electrical wires
  • open crevices through utilities
  • weathered or cracked brick

How Do I Prevent Termites On My Brick Wall?

The ways to prevent and protect our properties from termites does not vary much depending on the type of wall you have on the exterior of your home.

You should take the following precautions and actions to make sure termites are kept at bay or look to infest elsewhere:

  • No firewood or lumber near the walls of your home. 
  • Keep all wood and its derivatives at least 25 feet away from the exterior walls. 
  • Pull back mulch and decayed plant matter away from your home’s foundation. 
  • Repair all leaks. 
  • Address any an all excess moisture issues or pooling water. 
  • Treat wood, concrete, brick with borate. 
  • Invite a professional for yearly termite inspections.

There is no such thing as being safe or neglectful when it comes to termites. Sometimes it’s about weather patterns, seasonal shifts, weathering or neighborhood infestations.

You are just doing what you can to keep them away and that’s all that matters.

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Can Termites Damage a Brick Home?

Unfortunately, yes. Are the windowsills and doors made of brick or concrete? Chances are that there is some wooden framing at the very least around or behind brick.

Brick provides grooves and spaces for termites to hide and travel. They will inspect all areas of your brick exterior to find any imperfections. Termite damage can occur to brick, stone or even stucco homes.

This is why these homes are not excluded from the recommendation to get annual termite inspections, especially if your area has seem swarms of termites before.

Why Does My Brick House Have Termites?

Termites are looking for crack or holes in brick to get inside your home. They can travel through electrical wiring or plumbing.

Your roof, frames, foundation, basements and flooring systems can provide passageways and chances are that they are not all made of brick.

Brick homes are usually constructed with wood framing. They are fastened to sheeting on a wooden frame. The brick is usually only a front façade and termites can sense the cellulose hiding behind it in the form of wood fibers.

Why Old Brick Homes Get Damaged By Termites

Older homes contain far more wood framing than modern homes. They usually contain plenty of wood furniture inside as well. Termites target what is behind the brick such as:

  • framing
  • wood flooring
  • trim
  • furniture
  • drywall 

Modern concrete homes have a better chance at keeping termites out. Over time, even concrete will develop cracks for termites to get through.

Sometimes brick is even worse because of the texture and depth of brick making it harder to even notice termites.

The damage could be so severe before we even see a termite or notice any termite frass, dust, holes, tunnels or chewed through drywall.

How To Treat Brick Homes From Termites

You should call a professional to help find out the extent of the damage caused by termites on your brick home. The reason being is that brick makes it hard to notice the presence of termites. They may have infested through the brick for a long period of time and lived in the wood framing or drywall.

They could have traveled through internet or phone lines. Weather stripping around doors and windows are also open invitations for termites.

  • Seal all cracks, crevices, striped framing.
  • Seal roof, foundation, exterior walls.
  • Repair leaks and address excess moisture.
  • Keep cardboard, lumber, tree stumps and dense vegetation away from your brick exterior.
  • Apply chemical deterrents.
  • Spray boric acid mixed with water.
  • Clear coat the brick with borate.
  • Sprinkle borax or diatomaceous earth.
  • Spray on scents like cinnamon, cedarwood, geranium and tea tree oils.
  • Get professional help.

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Jason Barrett

Hello, I'm Jason. I have 11 years of experience in dealing with pests. I try to provide you the best information that'll help you to make the pest control process easy & affordable