Termites are wood-destroying insects, which means that they target wood materials. They are known for nesting in homes and causing a tremendous amount of property damage if not caught early. Knowing how to identify the signs of a termite infestation in your home will help you minimize the damage.
What You Need to Know About the Signs of a Termite Infestation
The signs of a termite infestation in your home may be subtle and require close observation or be obvious even to the untrained eye. Understanding these signs will help you to better care for your home.
1. Tubes Made Out of Dried Mud
Termites often access a home by crawling through mud tubes that they’ve built for this purpose. These tubes are made out of wet mud that hardens quickly.
You may see these tubes on fencing, the foundation, walls, or firewood stacked against your home. Make a small opening in the tube and see if it gets repaired. If so, it is actively being used by termites and you should call a certified inspector to examine your home.
2. Hollow-Sounding Wood
The signs of a termite infestation are not always as obvious as visible mud tubes. When termites burrow inside wood structures, they leave behind hollowed-out wood. Periodically knocking on various wood surfaces in your home is a great way to check for termites or other wood-destroying insects.
If you hear a hollow sound when knocking on one section of the wood and a different sound from a similar surface, this is a sure sign of termite activity.
3. Visible Termite Droppings
As termites destroy wood, they leave behind a substance known as frass. Frass is termite droppings that looks like very fine wood shavings. If you notice even a small amount of frass, you should schedule a termite inspection as soon as possible. Identifying this substance quickly can help you to minimize damage from a termite infestation.
4. Fallen Termite Wings
While termites are commonly known as crawling insects, they have wings and move in swarms. After they have feasted on surfaces in one area, they will travel in a group to a new area.
If you notice a swarm of termites flying near your home or if you notice fallen wings on areas like window sills, ordering a termite inspection is a smart idea. Keep in mind that termite wings are very small, so look for them carefully.
Through a termite inspection, you can learn about an active or previous infestation on your property. Such issues require professional termite treatment. Because these insects feed on wood-based materials, an active or previous infestation often requires property repairs.
A termite infestation means that your home has appealing conditions for termites, which means that termites are likely to come back unless corrective actions are taken.
Beacon Home Inspection of New Jersey provides termite inspections and other home inspection services to Central Jersey. Contact us to book an appointment.