Blogging Heros
Every year, termites cause billions of dollars worth of structural damage here in the United States. These destructive pests are a real nuisance to homeowners, but catching them early on is key to mitigating the damage they can do.
That’s why you should watch for common signs of a termite infestation. Whether you suspect these creatures have invaded your home or you want to prevent them in the future, look for these five signs to protect your property.
1. Damaged or Hollow Wood
One of the most obvious signs of termites is damaged wood. Termites eat through wood from the inside out, which makes spotting them a little difficult. The signs of damage may be hidden behind your walls and floors.
The damaged wood has a honeycomb or maze-shaped pattern. One way to test for these pests is to knock on the wall. If it sounds hollow, it’s a sure sign of a termite problem.
2. Termite Droppings
When looking around for signs of termites, you may notice strange piles of “wood shavings” or dust. Unfortunately, this is frass or termite droppings. Drywood termites (found mostly in southern coastal areas) push the droppings out of the colony.
Subterranean termites use droppings to build tubes or mud tunnels.
3. Damaged Paint or Wallpaper
Termites will leave tiny exit holes when they feed on wood paneling. They don’t always disturb the paint or wallpaper, but sure signs of termite issues include bubbling or peeling paint, discolored wallpaper, sunken areas, and buckling wood.
Homeowners often notice the damage during renovations or remodeling when they remove the wallpaper or alter the walls.
4. Windows or Doors Sticking
If your windows and doors seem to stick for no reason, or if they recently became harder to open and close, this can also indicate a termite infestation.
Door frames and windows have exposed wood, which looks like a tasty treat to termites. However, when these pests eat through your wood, it can cause the windows and doors to warp and stick.
5. Swarmers and Discarded Wings
Termite swarmers (flying termites) branch off from their colony to breed and start a new colony. The termite swarmers are part of the caste system in charge of reproducing.
You can spot these types of termites easily, as they have large wings. They’re also about 1/4″ to 1/2″ long.
After termite swarmers find a mate, they will shed their wings. Therefore, another sure sign you have a problem is spotting discarded termite wings.
If you spot this sign, or any of the other signs of a termite infestation, it’s time to call home pest control for help.
Prevent a Termite Infestation
These five signs of a termite infestation will help you spot the problem early on, so you can call pest control before the problem escalates.
Dealing with pests is an unfortunate part of being a homeowner. However, it doesn’t have to be difficult.
We have plenty of articles on home improvement and tips to help you maintain a clean and healthy house. Check out some of our other topics before you go.
