Have you ever heard a clicking sound in the walls of your home that you couldn’t identify? Do you ever notice sagging wood floors or puddle in the yard that you can’t quite explain? These may be signs that you have a termite infestation.
Termites are tiny insects that can be difficult to spot, and they cause millions of dollars in property damage every year. Termites are not just a problem for people who own older homes: new, quality constructed homes in good neighbourhoods have termite infestations as well. When termites move in, they eat everything in sight. They can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home, and they can even make you sick.
Knowing the signs of an infestation can help you get the problem under control before it gets too bad. However, before you can do that, you’ll need to learn what the signs of a termite infestation are. When inside your home, termites will leave behind various signs of their presence.
For instance, you may notice that you have tiny piles of dust on window sills and door frames. These piles are actually the wings that have been shed by termites. The shed wings of a termite can provide clues as to whether or not you have a termite infestation.
If you see crumbly, powdery or granular material on the floor or baseboards of a room, you could have a termite problem. This material is called frass and is a byproduct of termite digestion. In addition to frass, termite faecal pellets may be visible. These small, brown pellets measure around 2mm in length. While you may not see the termites themselves, you may spot their shelter tubes sticking out of the wood they have chewed.
Termite infestations inside your home are usually found where they have been living for a long time and have consumed a lot of wood. The most common areas inside your home for termite infestation are usually roof cavities, foundations, crawlspaces, and basements.
There are a few other signs that you might have a termite problem. If you notice holes or tunnels in your house, you may have termites. If the wood appears to be rotten, or if you hear squeaky sounds in your walls, you also may have termite damage. If you see trails of mud on the floors or wood on your window sills, that could also be a sign of termites.
The most common sign of termite activity in a home is the appearance of small, pin-sized holes in wood. However, these holes are only the visible part of the problem. Even if you never notice the holes, termites are still doing a lot of damage behind the scenes. If left untreated, termites can cause major structural damage to your home, which could lead to costly repairs.
Guarding your home against termite infestation is going to need the help of a professional who understands and has dealt with the situation before. And the best way to know if you have a termite problem is to contact a professional pest control service to inspect your home for evidence of infestation. Once they locate any termite damage, they should treat the infestation to stop further activity. If the termite damage is serious, you will need a licensed builder to repair it and ensure your home is safe and structurally sound.
