Pages tagged with “Infestation”

Advertisements

Signs of Termites

Do you think your house might have termites? These bugs can cause thousands of dollars in damage, so it's wise to be vigilant and check for signs of termites regularly. But what should you look for? Here are a few signs that you might have a termite infestation.

  • The most obvious sign is a termite swarm. Depending on the type of termites, they usually swarm after a rain during warmer weather. These termites will have wings that fall off shortly after the swarm. If you see a large number of small, winged bugs invading some part of your house, you might have a termite problem. If you notice lots of tiny wings around windowsills, doors, bathtubs, sinks, toilets, or anywhere else, you might have a termite problem. Get your house inspected by a termite inspector.
  • Termites build tubes of mud from their nests in the ground to the areas they get food from. These tubes can be free standing or attached to rocks, columns, or parts of the foundation of your house. They look like small, pencil sized mud tunnels.  These are sure signs of termites, which use them to get to the wooden parts of your house which are their food.
  • When termites eat, they leave behind damaged wood. This wood has a honeycomb of tunnels dug into it. The wood might sound hollow if you knock on it. It may crack easily or be brittle. The tunnels can be hollow or packed with dirt. The best way to check for damaged wood is to go to the basement or crawlspace below your house and examine the wood there. Check the foundation, the baseboards, and go back to the house to check the floors and wall studs. Does the wood look sturdy? Does it have a hollow sound when you knock on it? Is it dry, brittle, or easily cracked? You might have a termite problem.
  • If you see live termites, you can bet you've got a termite problem. Termites are often described as little white ants because that's what they look like. They're about the size of a grain of rice and white or light gray colored. They don't like light and avoid it actively.
If you suspect that you might have termites, you should call a termite inspector immediately. Professional help is the best way to save yourself lots of money in the long run.

Read more on Signs of Termites