Termites cause thousands of dollars in damage to homes every year. As a homeowner, these pests should be a concern because they can weaken the structure of your home. Learn about termites and how they can destroy the wood in your house. Let’s look at some signs of termites in your home that are important to recognize.
Termites in Your Home Might Make Noise in the Walls
It’s possible to hear termites within your walls. Soldier termites will signal other termites by shaking their bodies or tapping their heads on wood when their colony is in danger. They also make noise when they eat. You can actually hear them chewing if you put your ear to the wall.
Flying Termites or Discarded Wings
If you see flying termites, then trouble is very near. These termites are called swarmers. Flying termites leave their nest to establish a new colony.
Discarded wings are signs of termites in your home. Termites shed their wings after they find a good place to start a colony. If you notice wings around your home on windowsills or on the ground near the foundation, call a professional for a termite inspection.
Hollow Wood is One of the Signs of Termites in Your Home
Termites will eat a piece of wood so completely that they’ll leave only the thin outer shell or sometimes only paint. You’ll hear a hollow sound when tapping on termite-damaged wood. It’s a simple way to check for signs of termites in your home.
Don’t Confuse Termites for Ants
White ants don’t exist. If you see an insect that looks like a white ant, you’re seeing a termite. Overall, ants and termites are similar in size, behavior, and shape. Here are their differences:
- Ants have bent antennae. Termites have straight antennae.
- An ant has a thinner midsection than termites.
- Termites can look translucent in color.
- Termites and flying ants both have two sets of wings. The difference? Ants have one set that is smaller and termites have two sets that are the same size.
Can’t Open Your Windows or Doors Easily?
Warped doors and hard-to-open windows aren’t always the result of hot and damp weather. Termites cause the same issues because they produce moisture when tunneling through window and door frames.
Wood Tunnels Indicate Termites in Your Home
If you break through a piece of wood and see termite “galleries”, then you have a problem. These galleries are the tunnels that termites burrow through the wood of your home.
Termite Droppings
Drywood termite droppings are called frass. An inspector sees frass as one of the most obvious signs of termites in your home. Termites push frass out of small holes close to the tunnels that lead into their nest. You’ll notice a dark powdery pile around any area where termites enter the nest.
Check your home periodically and take steps to prevent termites. Drywood termites can easily destroy your house if not dealt with properly. Once they damage supporting wood structures, your home is in danger. Call a professional inspector to check for termites before the damage becomes extensive and costly to repair.
Brick n’ Beam Home Inspections offers wood-destroying insect inspections to St. Louis County, Jefferson County, and surrounding areas. Contact us to request our services.