It is heartbreaking to see the house that you spent so much money, time, and effort on getting broken from the foundations because of termites. Those who own homes, especially those with wooden parts, can feel the agony of someone with termite infestation because it ruins the foundation of your house little by little.
Not to mention, they are also annoying to look at, especially the holes that will eventually appear after the insides of your doors, cupboards, and other wooden parts are chipped off. When you see your house showing signs of a termite infestation, there is still something you can do to save your home.
This article will tell you everything you should know about the signs of termite infestation. Let this article guide you on what to do once you spot these signs to save your house from eventual ruin. After all, buying a home is very expensive.
Understanding How Termites Live
Termites are insects that feed off wood, and they usually live in swarms. They are known to eat off the house’s insides, such as the foundations, the doors, the cupboards, stairs, shelves, and even books. When the insides of the foundation of your house get eaten off by termites, it loses its strength, and it is just a hollow piece of wood holding your home together.
This can be dangerous as a medium-strength earthquake or an intense hurricane can blow your house off and cause it to collapse. If your home is also exposed to floods, it can further weaken the foundation and cause your house to surrender to the forces of nature.
Fortunately, we can still do something about it. That’s why we have to be vigilant on the different signs of termite infestation so that we can still fix it while we can. Otherwise, it can pose a serious risk to us while we live in our termite-infested house.
Different Signs of Termite Infestation
You can always check if your house has signs of termite infestation by conducting annual house checkups, and once you see signs, always call a termite exterminator as soon as possible. The faster you act upon them, the quicker your home can be saved. Remember that most house insurance policies do not cover termite infestation, so you must work on it.
Scattered Wings
The first thing you can see in a house that has termite infestation is discarded termite wings. These can be found near doors, closed windows, and other access points in the house. This is usually caused by termites when they swarm out of their nest, our home, to find mates and a new place to start a new colony.
The termites intentionally twist their wings off, effectively discarding them because they will settle in for a long time and will not need to move out again. You can easily distinguish a termite’s wings from an ant’s because their wings have the same size and shape.
Hollowed Wood
You can easily see wood damage below and behind wooden surfaces such as the floors, walls, and more. Termites cause this because they chew through wood in search of their much-needed cellulose. This leaves long grooves behind, which can be hollow since there is nothing inside it.
This is the main reason why houses infested with termites become weaker over time because they have nothing to hold on to inside. This can pose structural damage and eventual ruin if not taken care of as soon as possible.
You can easily find hollowed wood when you knock on them, as it will produce an empty sound. Lastly, the insides look like honeycombs because this is where termites eat and live.
Blisters in Wood Flooring
Blisters in wood flooring appear when termites are feeding within or below your flooring. Subterranean termites, or termites living underground and feed off wood floorings, can cause damage to your house’s subfloor, making your wood flooring appear as though it had water damage.
Drywood Termite Droppings
When you see mounds of pellets that resemble coffee grounds or sawdust, those are dry wood termite droppings, and that is a sure sign that you have termites infesting your house. When they create galleries inside the wood structures, they are invading, where they like to keep them clean.
Mud Tubes
Lastly, any mud tubes that you can see from the ground to your house, or a tree to your home, are a sure sign that termites are living in your house, and you must act on them swiftly. They build these tubes as shelter tubes that are usually made of mud, debris, and dirt. They use it to travel to and fro the food source discreetly. You can easily find them as they are as big as a coin.
Other Signs of Termite Infestation
Apart from the five signs mentioned, a house is infested by termites when you see peeling paint resembling water damage, crumbling and damaged wood, windows or doors that do not open or close properly, excessively squeaky floorboards, buckling wooden or laminate floorboards, maze-like patterns on your wooden furniture, walls, or floorboards, and of course, if you can see termites flying anywhere on your property.
What to Do Now
When you see these signs of termite infestation, you should never waste time and consult a trusted termite exterminator to deal with these as soon as possible. A great and trusted termite exterminator would help you cut to the chase and propose effective and safe methods to get to the root of this.
A great termite exterminator deals with termite infestations as professionally as possible without harming your house, environment, and family.
Our Takeaway
Termite infestations should be taken seriously. When you let termites run free into your house, they would put the foundations of your home into a compromise, and no one wants that to happen. You must work on it as swiftly as possible to save your house and protect your family from losing your home to these creatures.
Hybrid Pest Control knows how to get rid of these pests with their top-quality services. Offering relief from problems such as gophers, cockroaches, termites, and more, they aim to keep your house free from these creatures so that you can live peacefully and leave any worries behind. With Hybrid Pest Control, be assured that you are in good hands.
