Termites are found in all areas of the United States. These destructive insects can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home. The longer that termites are in your home, the more damage they will cause. In fact, you could end up having to rebuild entire sections of your home because of these pests.
In many cases, your homeowners insurance will not cover termite damage. It is important to know about the signs of termites in your home. Here are 5 things to look for to know if you have a termite problem.
1. Damage to Flooring
Pay attention to signs of termites in the floor, even as minor as squeaking when you walk on it. If you have a termite problem, they can eat your subfloor. Termite damage to a subfloor can be mistaken for water damage.
In more severe cases, the subfloor will start to sag and the top layer of hardwood or tile will become detached. If termites have started to damage the subfloor, they often damage floor joists too. Call a termite inspector right away if you notice these signs in your floor.
2. Signs of Termites in the Walls
Termites like walls because of their proximity to the ground and because they hold a large amount of wood to feed on. Some signs of termites in the walls are tiny pin holes where they have eaten through drywall, visible lines on drywall, and peeling paint. Tap on the wall and listen for a hollow sound. You can also sometimes hear a tapping sound that comes from the termites traveling within the walls.
3. Swarming Evidence
When termites swarm, they are looking for a place to mate and start a new colony. Termites do not need their wings after this, so they shed them. Termite wings will be all the same size and can appear in piles on window sills after a swarm. You might actually catch them swarming, which is a surefire sign that you have a termite problem at home.
4. Mud Tubes
When looking for signs of termites, go around the outside of your house and look for mud tubes. These will typically be found where your house meets the ground. This allows the termite to have a subterranean nest while being able to forage for their food source in your home. These mud tunnels help to keep them cool and dry.
Termites cannot live in too cold or too hot temperatures. It has to be just right, and these mud tubes give them the perfect conditions to travel back and forth.
5. Termite Droppings
Termites like to keep their nests clean. Termites will create a hole in the wood they are in where they will kick out their droppings. Their droppings are made up of wood and often look like tiny coffee grounds or sawdust.
When you are looking for signs of termites, you may want to check around your house to see if there are any suspicious piles. If you are looking for mud tubes, you may also find some of these droppings where the termites entered your house.
If you suspect that you have termites, it is time to call a termite inspector. Left untreated, you could face structural issues with your home that are expensive to fix. Even if you do not see any signs of termites in your home, you may still want to have an inspection completed to be safe. If the termite infestation is in its initial stages, you may not always see signs until the colony has built up and caused significant damage to your home.
Prominent Home Inspections serves Northern New Jersey with WDI/Termite Inspections. Contact us to schedule your termite inspection.