Signs of Termites & What To Do About Them
Termite infestation is a common problem in the US, with more than 600,000 homes experiencing it yearly, especially during spring. Because termites favor dark, humid environments, telling whether your home is infested can be difficult. Here's what to watch for.
The signs of a termite infestation
Termite infestation is a common problem in the US, with more than 600,000 homes experiencing it yearly, especially during spring. Telling whether your home has a termite infestation can be difficult since these pests like living in dark and humid environments.
Catching the problem early is everything. The eight signs below help you spot termites before they do extensive, expensive damage to your home.
Eight signs of termites
From warped windows to head-banging noises in the walls, these are the warning signs of a termite infestation.
Tight-fitting doors and windows
Termites usually target windows and doors where wood is exposed and easy to access. They excrete after feeding on wood, and their feces form a protective layer that traps heat and moisture, which can warp door or window frames. Opening a door or window with warped frames can be difficult and may take a lot of force.
Damage under paint or wallpaper
You probably have a termite infestation if you notice unusual damage to your paint or wallpaper. Termites sometimes feed on wood without disturbing the thin paint layer or wallpaper. Other times they leave signs including buckling wood, sunken areas, small pinholes, and sunken winding lines.
Swarmers or discarded wings
Swarmers are reproductive termites that fly in groups searching for mates, especially during springtime. They are attracted to light and are not good flyers, so they often shed their wings and crawl away. A pile of termite wings on your floor or window sill is a strong sign you are dealing with an infestation.
Mud tubes
Mud tubes are one of the most common signs of termites. These are narrow, vein-like structures made from termite droppings and soil, usually found near a home’s foundation or in crawl spaces between cement blocks. Termites build them to protect themselves from the sun as they travel from their colony to their food source.
Termite droppings
Termite droppings, also known as frass, are a common sign of infestation. As termites eat and digest wood, they produce tiny, wood-colored droppings and push them out of the tunnel, usually near the affected wood. People often mistake frass for sawdust. If you’re not sure, smell it. Termite droppings tend to smell like mildew or mold.
Papery, hollow, or blistering wood
Termites eat the inside of wood, leaving just paint or a thin veneer behind, so the affected area sounds hollow when you knock on it. Attics, wooden ceilings, rafters, beams, and architraves are especially at risk. Hollow timber weakens the structure of your home, so replace it and deal with the termites as soon as you spot it.
Head-banging or chewing noises
When a termite colony is disturbed, the termites bang their heads on the wood or shake their bodies to warn the others, producing sounds between the walls. They also make noise burrowing through wood. Place your ear against a suspect wall and listen keenly for any sounds.
Tunnels in wood
As termites eat through wood they form tunnels, also called galleries, inside the timber. They create extensive damage without it showing on the surface, so the tunnels are hard to notice. If you spot tunnels in a piece of broken timber near your house, you may have termites.
Schedule an inspection today
Termite infestations cause costly damage, but catching the signs early lets you eliminate them before they spread. Stampede Pest Control is an experienced pest control provider in Texas, offering organic, pet- and family-friendly treatments backed by our satisfaction guarantee. Schedule a professional termite inspection today.
Learn more about our termite control and inspection service, including free annual inspections and protection plans for your home.
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