How To Know If You Have Termites

It’s likely one of every homeowner’s biggest fears — termites in your house. The unsettling thing is that termites could be feasting on your house for three years before you notice visible damage. By this time, the extent of the problems can be devastating and costly, so recognizing early signs of termites is critical.

Mud tubes, pinholes in sheetrock, buckling paint, and discolored, drooping drywall are early signs of termites. You might notice floors that squeak more, have loosening tiles, or are buckling or warping.

If you see more obvious structural damage, like a sagging roof or broken door frame, you likely have had termites for a while and just didn’t know it.

It is possible to mistake certain types of damage, like wood rot, for termites. But if you notice signs of damage and have no treatment contract in place, you might have tiny invaders in your home.

Catching them sooner than later is critical in saving yourself money and time when it comes to repairs. But termites can be sneaky, and a termite inspection could become a necessity .

According to PestWorld.org, termites cause massive property damage every year, costing upward of $5 billion. Unfortunately, most homeowners’ insurance policies don’t cover termite damage or treatment. You can find some termite treatment contracts that will cover the cost of damages if you have an infestation within your treatment period.

But, regardless of the cost and how you pay for it, termite damage can be extensive and stressful to handle. A mature colony of termites can eat a 2×4 stud within five months, and if left untreated, Formosan termites could cause significant damage in two years.

Putting a termite treatment plan in place is one of the best ways to protect your home from termite invasion. Of course, who wouldn’t want to avoid termites in the first place?

Once they take up residence, they can be a pain to get rid of for good. Often infestations can require multiple treatments and rechecks.

But what if you don’t have a protection plan in place? Or perhaps your current treatment has lapsed and you haven’t gotten around to retreating. It’s critical to know the early signs of termites so you can take action as soon as possible.

There are different types of termites, including subterranean, Formosan, drywood, etc. Some are trickier to deal with and cause more damage than others, but they’ll all provide similar early warning signs.

If you’re suddenly struggling to open a particular door or window, it could be termites. The reason for this is because door and window frames typically consist of accessible wood. Termites start chowing down on these areas, compromising their integrity and making it harder to open or close the window or door.

You might notice visible sagging around door frames and windows or similar issues with baseboards. Look closely at the wood. If you see damage, tunnels, or mud tubes, these signs all point to termites.

If you don’t notice these things, the structural issues could be from something else, like excess moisture. Regardless, if you’re experiencing any of the above, it’s worth having a professional take a look.

Termite damage can often resemble water damage, and many homeowners can mistake it for such. You might notice discolored drywall, peeling or bubbling paint, soft spots, buckling floorboards, or loose tiles.

Depending on the termite activity, you might not see such obvious signs. In some cases, termites might only leave behind tiny pin holes in your sheetrock. These holes are their exit points as they’re eating through wood, creating tunnels beneath the surface.

If the termites don’t disturb the paint or wallpaper, you might not notice them until they’ve caused more damage (unless you’re renovating — for example, removing old wallpaper).

If you start finding discarded termite bits, like wings or droppings, or even dead termites, be wary. Colonies have termites called swarmers that go out to find mates and reproduce to expand the colony. Once swarmers mate they shed their wings.

These particular termites are also attracted to light, so they tend to hang around windows and doors. Therefore, you might find their wings on window sills or near doorways. You could also find dead swarmers, since they don’t tend to live very long indoors.

If you’re dealing with subterranean or Formosan termites, you won’t likely see any droppings. Only drywood termites leave droppings visible to humans. They resemble wood pellets or shavings and are called frass. Subterranean termites actually use their droppings to help build their mud tubes.

Another telltale sign of termites are mud tubes attached to structures, like your home, coming from the ground and running toward areas with wood. These tubes provide a protected highway for termites to travel between their colony and food sources. Termites have thin exoskeletons and need the tubes to protect them from the air so they don’t dry out.

If you find a mud tube, break off a piece and see if there are live termites. It could be that it’s a leftover tube from a long gone colony. However, if you don’t see any termites, don’t dismiss the tube yet.

Recheck it later to see if it remains untouched. If it’s back in place, it means termites are present and rebuilt the tube.

If you don’t see termites, and the tube remains destroyed, it’s still worth calling a professional to check. The termites might have moved to another part of your home to find a new food source.