Table of Contents Show
While termites build beautifully complex tunnels, these pests are dangerous to your home and all other buildings they come into contact with.
This is because they eat wood and other materials, making a building structurally unsound from the inside out.
Here’s how to tell if you have termites so that you can prevent them from doing further damage.
How to Tell If You Have Termites
It’s important to note that many of the warning signs of termites indicate that they have already begun doing damage.
Still, you can look out for the following signs. By acting early, you can save yourself thousands of dollars in repairs.
Once you identify whether or not you have a problem, you can figure out how to get rid of termites once and for all.
Read Also:
Seeing the Termites Themselves
The easiest way to confirm that you have termites is to know what they look like.
They are similar to ants except that their bodies are lighter in color, their antennae are straight, and their wings are all the same size.
Termites fly to find their nest, so seeing these creatures in the air in or inside your home indicates that they plan on moving in with you. As this happens, they often lose their wings and leave excrement.
So, seeing the termites themselves, their “frass” or dark excrement, and discarded wings is a bad sign.
Noticing Blemishes In Your Home
Another way to check for termites is to look around your home for small cracks and crevices. Sometimes, thermites pack these holes in the building with dirt to close off their own space.
If you have larger blemishes, you can shine a flashlight into them and look for the visual signs of termites. This includes what they leave behind as well as their tunnels.
Look For Weakness and Damage
Termites eat away at your home from the inside out. As a result, you may not notice that your walls or floors are damaged until they begin to buckle or sag.
To keep it from getting to that point, do an inspection of your home. You can do this by tapping on walls, floors, windowsills, and ceilings and listening to the sound.
If it sounds hollow or you notice that the building gives way to pressure, it’s likely that termites are the cause.
When termites advance, you’ll see their tunnels as an indication that they’re there and feeding. This doesn’t only happen in the wood — termites often eat carpets, cloth, and paper.
Listening for Their Sounds
Termites are vibrational creatures. They use their bodies to create sounds to signal others when there is danger.
On top of that, they make a decent amount of noise when they’re feeding.
You can listen for termites by making your home silent and listening attentively for soft, clicking sounds.
Take Care of the Problem Before It’s Too Late
Now that you know how to tell if you have termites, you can inspect your home and identify if you have an infestation.
In the unfortunate circumstance that you find them, you should call a professional to assess the damage. They can help you reclaim your home from these invasive insects and keep them away for good.
Keep reading our blog for more tips to keep your home safe and protected.
