Have you been hearing strange noises coming from your walls? Many things can explain odd home sounds; you might think it’s the sound of your house settling, or at worst you may suspect a mouse scurrying about.
What you may not have considered is the possibility that you’ve got a termite infestation.
Termites are surprisingly loud considering their small size; if you hear a persistent clicking noise coming from your walls, it could be the sound of termite workers chewing through your wood.
Of course, that’s only one possible sign that you’ve got a termite problem–you don’t want to jump to conclusions. The question, then, is what else you should look for if you suspect termites.
Keep reading to learn five more signs that your home has a termite infestation.
1. Damaged Wood
If there’s one thing termites are known for, it’s their ability to chew through wood. A serious termite infestation can ruin wooden building materials, causing thousands of dollars of damage.
Termites eat from the inside out, so you may not see the damage. If you suspect termite activity, knock on wood. A hollow sound means that you need to call termite control–the pests have been eating well.
2. Paint and Wallpaper Damage
Bubbling paint and peeling wallpaper are never good signs. Most homeowners would assume that water damage is to blame for paint or wallpaper issues, but termites are another likely culprit.
You might also notice pinholes in your paint or wallpaper; these are areas where termites have eaten through.
3. Discarded Termite Wings
Termite colonies start with swarmers–young, winged termites that emerge during spring. These insects seek out a place to colonize before shedding their wings and getting to work.
Swarmers and their discarded wings are a sure sign that the bugs have taken up residence in your home. If you see them, don’t wait–call this service to get rid of termites before they cause serious damage.
4. Frass
Frass is the technical term for termite droppings. Drywood termites leave behind piles of wood-colored, pellet-like droppings; a pile of frass looks a bit like sawdust.
The droppings are often left behind within the wood itself, so you may not see them. If you notice piles of sawdust in odd places, however, you may want to call pest control.
5. Mud Tubes
Check your home’s foundation when looking for termites. If you’ve got an infestation of subterranean termites, you’ll find carefully constructed tubes of mud spread around your foundation.
These tubes are held together by termite saliva and are used to provide moisture to the insects as they travel around your house.
Deal With Your Termite Infestation
A termite infestation can be hard to identify; you may not notice wood damage until it’s too late. Identifying frass, swarmer wings, and mud tubes can alert you to an issue before things get too serious.
Termites aren’t the only pest you need to look out for. Visit our house and garden blog for more tips on how to protect your home from other types of pest infestation!
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