How to Tell if Your Home Has Termite Damage

Termites; the bane of many Columbia homeowners. Termite infestations can seriously compromise the structural integrity of a home and cause thousands of dollars in damage. The worst part? Most homeowners aren’t even aware it’s happening.

It’s important that homeowners have a professional termite inspection done on their home at least once every two or three years. However, there are some red flags that homeowners should be on the lookout for that indicate the presence of termites.

Here are the top five ways to tell if your home has termites and Termite Damage.

Swarmers

Swarmers are the young male and female winged termites that are of reproductive age. Once springtime rolls around, termite swarmers will emerge from their nests in search of a mate to start a new colony with.

Once the swarmers find their mates, they tend to settle in and get nice and cozy in your home’s crawl space and foundation.

If you see these swarming termites or their discarded wings hanging around your window sills or doors, this is a good indication that the termites swarmers have chosen your home for their new colony.

Mud Tubes

The most destructive of the termite species is the subterranean. These pests build mud tubes that provide moisture when they travel between their colony and the food source.

If you have a termite infestation at your home, you may see these mud tubes near your home’s foundation. This is a sure sign that termites are present and are using your home as a food source.

Damaged Wood

Termites eat wood from the inside out, so a great way to check your home for Termite Damage is to be on the lookout for hollow wood. If you tap on a piece of Termite Damaged wood, you will notice a hollow sound.

You should also keep an eye on pieces of wood that are blistering and falling apart. These are additional indicators that termites are destroying the wooden parts of your home.

Hard to Open and Close Windows and Doors

You may mistake your sticking windows or doors for a sign of hot, humid weather; however, it could also mean that you have a termite problem.

Termites produce moisture when they consume wood. When they tunnel through the wood on your windows and doors, the frames can become warped making it difficult to open or shut windows and doors in your home.

Frass or Termite Droppings

Frass, also known as the fecal matter that’s pushed out of termites while they tunnel and eat wood, is another common sign to check for termites in your home.

While some termite species use their feces to build their tunnels, dry wood termites keep their tunnels clean by pushing their feces out of small holes around their nest. The result is small black marks and a powdery substance around the area that they are living.

The bigger the pile up of frass, the bigger the termite infestation.

Conclusion

While the above signs are good indicators of a termite infestation, you shouldn’t jump to conclusions and try to take action on your own.

For best results, you should contact your local termite remediation specialist to inspect your home and determine the best course of action.

The professionals at Cayce Home Improvements have decades of experience in termite remediation and can help you to identify the infestation, rid your home of the pests, repair any damages and then continue to follow up to ensure they don’t come back.

If you think you may be dealing with termites in your home, don’t wait until the problem is out of hand and you’re dealing with costly damages. Give us a call today for your free inspection.