Termites are destructive as they eat wood which can undermine the structural stability of your home. Of course, termites don’t just eat the frame of your house or the floorboards, they will also enjoy your furniture and anything else you have made of wood, paper, or cardboard.
It is worth noting that termites live in colonies and multiply rapidly, if you are seeing one termite in your home there are likely thousands more under it. Quick action is essential. That means invest in termite bait systems and contacting the professionals. This is an effective approach to kill the termites and ensure that they have all been eliminated.
But, how do you know you have a termite issue? Here are the 5 top signs termites have invaded your home.
- Discarded Wings
Termite colonies are split into different sections. There are feeders, soldiers, and reproductive termites. The reproductive ones all leave the colony together looking for new mates. This usually happens in springtime.
When they find mates they discard their wings and start setting up their colony. If you see lots of wings then you have termites starting a colony, the quicker you take action the easier it will be to deal with them.
- Mud Tubes
Take a walk around the outside of your home. If you have soil or grass against the walls then look for small holes in the ground. These are known as mud tubes and are how the termites get in and out of your foundations.
Try closing one and it will reappear the next day. The best way to prevent them from getting in this way is to surround your house in concrete, covering at least six inches from the walls.
- Bubbling Paint
Termites chew through wood and you may see the small holes in the wood where they have emerged and then gone back in. However, if the wood is painted over this may not be visible. Instead, you will see bubbling paint. If you can easily push a screwdriver into the wood where the paint is bubbled you have a termite problem.
- Damaged Wood
If you notice that your wood is damaged or sounds hollow it is likely that termites are at work behind the scenes. Again, poking a screwdriver into the wood will tell you how bad the damage is and how quickly you need to react.
- Sightings
It is rare to see termites walking across the floor but it does sometimes happen, especially when it is darker. Of course, you need to be certain what you are seeing as termites are surprisingly similar to some species of ants. This includes the carpenter ant which can devastate wood nearly as quickly as a termite.
Making sure you do not have clutter around your home and that any piles of wood are as far away as possible will help to make your home less attractive to termites. Alongside this, regular pest inspections can alert you to issues and make sure they are dealt with before the house is damaged.