Be proactive about preventing termite damage by searching for signs in and around your home periodically. For extra protection, maintain a termite protection plan with a reliable company. Rid-A-Bug can help protect your home from the significant structural damage termites can cause.
Types of Termites
There are a variety of termites that differ in size and color. Although they have distinct characteristics, most termites look similar to each other. The different types of termites include:
- Dampwood Termite
- Drywood Termite
- Formosan Termite
- Subterranean Termite
These pesky pests eat cellulose found in wood. Termites will destroy walls, furniture, and other wooden materials in your home. Their damage can appear in different forms from sagging floors, droopy ceilings, or infested wood that appears to be water-damaged. Homeowners may find piles of sawdust, mud tubes, or detached wings from swarmers.
7 Signs of Termite Damage
1. Evidence of Swarms
A termite swarm is the only time you will see termites or find out you have termites before discovering the damage or other signs. Termites will establish new colonies and swarm both indoors and outdoors.
2. Discarded Wings
The first and most often sign you will find is discarded wings from termites. As a termite colony matures, winged termites will leave the nest and create a new colony. They will shed their wings into piles for you to discover that they are present. Termites are attracted to light, so you will most likely find tiny wings in the basement window sills or stuck in cobwebs. If you spot wings inside of your home, contact a professional for help immediately.
3. Mud Tubes
Tiny mud tubes can be found wherever the ground meets your house or any other potential food sources like trees or a shed. Subterranean termites dig underground and forage up their food which is often your home’s structure. Termites require certain temperatures and humidity levels to survive. They dig tunnels to help block out the cool, dry air and turn your home into a safe environment where they can thrive.
4. Frass
Termite droppings or frass are a major sign of a termite infestation. Drywood termites nest inside the wood, creating tunnels and feasting on the wood they are infesting. They will discard the droppings by creating mounds of pellets. Most frass piles are very small and will appear as sawdust or wood shavings. You can find these pellets anywhere there is wood. If you find termite droppings, call a professional to get a termite inspection.
5. Outdoor Issues
Trees damaged by termites can be dangerous because they can fall on your home or in your backyard. It can also be a sign that termites are headed their way into infesting your home. Inspect your trees for small holes and wood shavings if they have entered into any tree. The best place to look for termites is around the base of the tree. Use a small shovel to dig around the roots just below the soil line. Search for other signs like discarded wings or dead termites at the base of the tree.
6. Hollowed-Out Wood
Termites dig their small bodies and tend to eat wood from the inside out. Find wood that is suspicious of any potential termite damage and knock on it to hear if it is hollow inside. If so, this indicated there was a termite infestation that occurred.
7. Exterior Wood Damage
If you find wood that has been damaged on the surface, this could indicate a possible termite infestation. Look for any bare, exposed wood or rotten areas that are an entry point for termites to infest. If you spot this type of damage to your property, hire a professional to conduct a thorough termite inspection.
Get Rid of Termites With Rid-A-Bug
Rid-A-Bug can help protect your home from the damaging effects of pesky termites. Our trained experts will inspect your home and recommend a customizable solution for your home’s needs. Contact us at 1-800-682-5901 or online for more information about our services.