Every year, more than 600,000 American homeowners are forced to deal with termite infestations. Termites cause over $5 billion worth of property damage on an annual basis.
After reading these statistics, you should see why it’s so important to look for signs of termites in your home so that you can do something about a termite infestation. You need to know the answer to the question, “How do I know if I have termites in my house?”
Today, we’re going to walk you through some of the signs of termites that you might see when you have a termite infestation. You should look out for them and call a pest control company right away if you see a single one.
Check out the signs that might suggest you have termites below.
Damaged Wood because of Termites
Termites love to eat cellulose. It has all the nutrients that termites need to survive.
And do you know what has a lot of cellulose in it? That’s right—wood! It’s why termites are attracted to wood and will eat as much of it as they possibly can.
Most American homes are filled with wood from top to bottom. They have everything from wood floors to wood studs behind the walls in them.
With this in mind, you’re going to want to keep a close eye on all the wooden aspects of your home and see if they’ve ever experienced any damage. If they have, you won’t have to ask yourself, “How do I know if I have termites?”, for too long.
Damaged wood is often one of the first signs of termites, though you aren’t always going to notice it until termites have hollowed wood out. It’s why you should walk around in your home every so often and tap on wooden surfaces to see if they sound hollow to you. It could be an indication that you have termites in your home.
Termite Mud Tubes
In addition to inspecting your home’s wooden surfaces for signs of termites, you should also take it upon yourself to walk around the outside of your home every now and then to see if you have any mud tubes near your foundation.
Certain types of termites will build their nests underground and then create mud tubes that run from these nests up into structures like homes. These mud tubes make it possible for termites to create the ideal conditions for themselves as they infest a home.
You might be able to sweep these mud tubes away if you ever spot them. But you’re also going to want to enlist the services of a pest control company that can aim to get to the root of your termite troubles.
In a perfect world, you should search for a pest control company that provides special termite control services.
Discarded Wings
Did you know that some types of termites have wings and can fly around? For this reason, you might be able to tell that you have a termite infestation in your home by looking out for any discarded wings from termites in it.
Oftentimes, you’ll see these wings near windows and doors that termites may have been using to get access to the outdoors. They’ll sometimes intentionally remove their own wings once they land and know they won’t need them anymore.
You might think that finding discarded termite wings would show that your termite problem has flown away or even died out altogether. But just because you’re seeing discarded wings doesn’t mean you don’t still have a termite issue in your house. It may just mean that termites are relocating from one part of your home to another.
Swarming Termites
You might see more than just discarded termite wings around your house when you have a termite infestation. You might actually see termites themselves swarming just feet from your home.
These so-called termite swarmers will branch off their original colonies after setting up shop in or near your home and start new colonies. While doing this, hundreds and, in some cases, even thousands of termites will swarm outside as they look for a place to put their new nest.
If you ever see termites swarming in large numbers near your home, it’s almost always going to be a sign that a termite infestation is either already affecting your home or on the verge of impacting it.
It would be worth contacting a pest control company to have them come and take a look at your home. They can let you know if you have anything to worry about at this time.
Termite Droppings
Some types of termites will do more than chew through the wood in your home. They’ll also create small nests in wooden structures and remain in them for a long time.
When they do this, they’ll create small holes in these wooden structures that they’ll use to keep their nests clean. They’ll push excrement out of the holes every now and then in an effort to maintain cleaner nests.
If you ever see something that looks like a tiny pile of sawdust or coffee grounds on a windowsill or floor, it could be droppings from termites. Rather than simply working to clean them up, you should also contact a pest control company to see what can be done about a possible termite infestation.
Damaged Drywall
As we mentioned earlier, termites love chowing down on cellulose. And while cellulose is found in the wood scattered throughout your home, it isn’t the only thing that contains cellulose.
The drywall that makes up your home’s walls also has cellulose in it. As a result, you might begin to see damaged drywall throughout your home when you have termites living in it.
At first, the damage that termites will do to your home’s drywall might not be all that obvious. They’ll make very tiny holes in the drywall as they chew their way through it.
But as time goes on, you might start to see trails forming on your drywall. You might also see bubbles start to form in the paint on your walls or under the wallpaper on your walls.
You shouldn’t ignore any of these signs of termites living in your home. If you do, it might allow the problem to get even worse, and it won’t be long before you’re unable to avoid seeing the damage that they’re doing.
Moldy Smells
Termites aren’t all that picky when it comes to which types of wood they’ll eat. But they tend to like any wood that might have moisture in it since it’ll be easier for them to access the cellulose in it.
Because of this, you should be on high alert if you ever have any moldy smells in your home. It could indicate that you have moist wood in your home that termites are feasting on.
And even if you don’t have termites, the moldy smell in your home is likely coming from somewhere where mold is growing. This mold can take a toll on your health, and it can also create the perfect environment for termites to thrive in the not-too-distant future.
Squeaky Floors
Do the floors in your home squeak all the time when you walk on them? If they do, you might simply have an issue going on with your home’s flooring.
But there might also be a termite infestation that is at the heart of this problem. Termites can cause wooden floors, in particular, to buckle and even blister when they get to them. So you should try to investigate what might be causing wooden floors to squeak sooner rather than later.
You should also pay close attention if you have any tile floors in your home and look out for loosened tiles. Termites will sometimes attack the subfloors that sit underneath tile floors and chew them to bits.
When this happens, the tile floors that sit on top of these subfloors can get loose and begin to move around on you. Outside of serving as a tripping hazard, loose tile floors can also be a sign that you have a termite infestation that will need to be dealt with accordingly.
Structural Damage
Ideally, a termite infestation in your home won’t get to the point where there is actual structural damage being done to it. But if you let a termite problem spiral out of control, it’s only going to be a matter of time before the structure of your home starts to suffer.
If this ever takes place, the support beams in your home might begin to buckle and make it unsafe for you to continue to live in your house. Ceilings and floors within your home might also start to crack and fall apart on you, thus putting you and your family at risk.
You might find yourself in a world of trouble if you let a termite infestation reach this point. You’re going to have to work way harder than you should have to in order to get rid of termites. You’re also going to need to spend a small fortune on making the necessary repairs to your home to make it livable again.
Live Termites
Unless they’re interested in flying away to start a new colony, you aren’t likely to see many live termites moving around in your home. But if you ever have any remodeling done in your house, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to come across live termites in it.
If, for example, you’re ripping out old wooden kitchen cabinets during a remodel, there could be live termites living behind them. You might also find live termites if you’re ever finishing off a basement and paying close attention to all the wooden framing found in it.
If you ever spot even a small number of live termites, you should spring into action right away and see how bad your termite infestation is. All it should take is one call to a reliable pest control company to get this particular pest problem under control.
Early Signs of Termites in the Ceiling
Termites are often dubbed “silent destroyers” because they can inflict significant damage before their presence becomes apparent. Ceilings, being as they are less frequently inspected than other parts of any building, can harbor these pests unnoticed. Recognizing the early signs of termite activity in the ceiling is crucial to preventing extensive damage.
Here’s what to look out for:
Sagging or Bubbling Ceiling:
Termite damage can cause ceilings to sag or develop bubbles due to weakened structural integrity. This often results from termites consuming the wooden supports above the ceiling.
Pinholes in Ceiling Surfaces:
Tiny holes may appear where termites have tunneled through drywall or plaster. These pinholes are entry or exit points for termites and can be accompanied by piles of frass (termite droppings) beneath.
Faint Clicking or Rustling Sounds:
Termites are actually pretty noisy eaters. At times, you might hear soft clicking sounds emanating from the walls or ceiling as they chew through wood.
Mud Tubes Extending to Ceiling Areas:
Subterranean termites construct mud tubes as protective pathways. Finding these tubes extending toward or across ceiling areas indicates active termite routes.
Discolored or Peeling Paint:
Termite activity can cause paint on ceilings to bubble or peel, often resembling water damage. This occurs when termites breach the surface, allowing moisture to accumulate.
Termites in the Ceiling: A Hidden Threat
Ceiling infestations are particularly concerning because they can compromise the structural integrity of a building. Termites targeting ceiling joists and supports can lead to significant safety hazards if not addressed promptly. Regular inspections, especially in areas prone to termite activity, are essential to detect and mitigate these hidden threats.
Are You Wondering, “How Do I Know If I Have Termites?”
Unfortunately, it’s not always for people to figure out if they have termites living in their homes. Even if they have the presence of mind to wonder, “How do I know if I have termites?”, they could have termites in the deep, dark corners of their homes where they’re impossible to see.
If you ever have a sneaky suspicion that you might have termites, you should hire a termite control company to perform a termite inspection. They’ll know where to look for termites in your home and can shed some light on any problem areas that you’ll need to be aware of.
Having routine termite inspections done can provide you with so much peace of mind. It can also help you stop a small termite infestation from turning into a much larger one that could threaten the safety of your whole house.
Contact Us Now for All Your Pest Control Needs
Official Pest Prevention is a family-owned, licensed pest control company celebrating 20 years serving over 100,000 satisfied customers in five area codes throughout Northern and Central California. Starting with a few contacts, and only four full-time employees, our small company has grown into an organization that today employs over 100 people, maintains a fleet of 75 vehicles, and has serviced over 100,000 Northern California households. This tremendous growth has come from loyal customers, who have recommended our work to their friends, family, and neighbors.
We are a full-service pest control company. Whatever your pest problem, we have a solution. Our goal is to make your property pest-free. Guaranteed. Contact us online or by phone (877) 711 2847 – for immediate assistance. Same-day bookings and flexible payment plans available – because pest invasions wait for no one.
