How Can I Tell If I Have Termites In My Home?

Termites are a national problem. They are small, elusive, and tremendously damaging. They cause billions of dollars worth of property damage and could be right under your nose without you even realizing it. How can homeowners become aware of a termite problem that could be threatening the structure and security of their home?While termites do have a talent of hiding and conducting their work mainly undetected, there are some signs that every homeowner should be able to identify.

Visual Evidence of Termites

If you are looking to determine if your home may be infested with termites, one of the first things you may want to do is look for visible signs of infestation.Discarded wings is one such sign. They may look like the wings of a fly but in reality are termite swarmers that shed their wings. These wings can be found near closed windows, doors and other home-access points.Another clue that you may have termites are mud tubes or droppings. Mud tubes are pencil-sized tubes that allow termites to travel from the ground and outside areas to areas in your home that contain wood. These tubes keep the environment from becoming too dry or cool for the termites.Termites droppings are also another sign that you may have a problem. Droppings may resemble sawdust or coffee grounds. They may be near the outer holes of the galleries that the termites are eating their way through.

Damaged Wood

If you don't visibly see wings, droppings, often called frass, or mud tubes, you may still want to examine the wood structures in your home, especially those in the basement. One of the most common indicators of this type of pest's damage is weakened wood. They can eat through the wood in a distinctive pattern and leave the interior of the wood vulnerable to structural collapse or broken pieces.Signs of damaged wood include, creaking or hollow sounding wood, as well as doors and windows that are difficult to open and close completely. You may also notice wood buckling, crumbing, or bending in an unnatural way. When tapped on, wood may sound papery or hollow.

The Sounds of Termites

We know, we know. These pests are relatively small and fairly silent, but the soldier termites tend to shake their bodies and bang their heads when they are working. Termites that are considered worker termites are the eaters of the colony and they chew loudly. Combine the noises, and the sounds a termite colony makes could be undetectable to a novice, but apparent to an expert.Our termite specialists here at Pest-End Exterminators can help you identify and eliminate termites from your home. Our Sentricon Elimination System forms a protective ring around your property, eliminating termites and keeping them away.