Termites are pests that homeowners do not want around their property. They are a severe problem because they rapidly eat through wood and cause structural damage. A termite infestation is costly to treat, and repairing structural damage in the home is expensive. The signs of termites are not always obvious, so it’s essential that homeowners know about the most common indications of termites in a home.
1. Small Flying Insects
One of the signs of termites is small, ant-like creatures known as swarmers. These are young termites that have not yet shed their wings, and you may notice them flying around your property. Termites are sometimes mistaken for ants, though they have a different body shape. Termites do not have a thin, tapered waist like an ant, and they have straight antennae.
2. Blistered or Hollow Wood are Signs of Termites
When termites eat wood, they work from the inside out. This means that the centers of boards or wooden planks in your basement or attic might become hollow before you can see visible damage to the wood. One of the signs of termites in the home is wood that sounds hollow or appears blistered. You might also notice warped wood and doors or windows that are difficult to open or close as termites eat through door and window frames.
3. Discarded Wings in Piles
Once young termites find a place to build a colony, they shed their wings. As a result, a sign of termites that many people notice first is small piles of discarded wings. Some homeowners discover these piles of wings inside the house, in the basement, or around the foundation. Termite wings are small and translucent in color.
4. Sawdust-Like Substance is One of the Signs of Termites
Frass is another indication you might have a termite problem in your house. These are termite droppings, and they look similar to sawdust or wood shavings. Frass appears in clumps or piles around your home. Instead of using their droppings to build tunnels, drywood termites tidy their nests by pushing the frass through small holes in the wood.
5. Mud Tubes on the Walls
Subterranean termites are different from drywood termites. They use their droppings to build tunnels that allow them to move around your house. From a distance, these tunnels look like streaks of dirt on the walls or foundation. You may spot mud tubes on trees or your woodpile, which indicates that termites live nearby.
AWP Home Inspections offers services to customers in West Central and Central Indiana, including termite and wood-destroying insect inspections. Contact us to request an appointment.