Termites can cause significant damage to homes, wood structures or furniture. While there are many signs of termites that can be found in your home, sometime they can be very difficult to spot. This is because termites are cryptic creatures and infestations can go undetected for years. Here are the most common signs of termites that homeowners should look for. Should you see any of these signs, you should contact a professional termites exterminator immediately.
These are the common sign of termites present in your home that you should look for.
1. Termites Swarms
Termite swarm is a large group of termites that exits the ground and flies away all at once. Termite swarms occur when winged adults look for new colonies.They tend to be attracted to light. If they emerge at night, they might swarm around some of your lights. You can also find them in spider webs around light sources Typically, termites swarm in the daytime right after rains. The swarm lasts just a few minutes, though, so you might only see the wings they leave behind. Swarms are often one of the first signs of termites.
2. Mud Tubes
Termites travel through these mud tubes on their way from the soil to a food source. These are small, enclosed tubes that are made of mud or clay and are one of the most obvious signs of termites. . Look for these tubes on basement walls, wooden posts and door and window trim . Mud tubes are easy to identify when located on the exterior of the building, but are often located inside of a crawl space where they go undetected until severe damage occurs. Follow the tunnel all the way up, and you'll see that it terminates into a floor joist or a structural beam. When you reach that piece of lumber or wood, try tapping it with a screwdriver. If it makes a hollow sound, try inserting the screwdriver; if it goes in easily, termites have hollowed out the softer inside of the wood.
3. Wood damage
Termites eat wood from the inside out, so damaged wood is may hard to find. Break open hollow-sounding wall studs, baseboards and floors. Inside the wood, a honeycombed pattern is typical, as termites feed along the grain on the softer spring growth. Their excavations often are packed with soil. Worst-case scenario: bulging walls. Above-ground carton nests of Formosan termites — an especially robust species — can cause this alarming sight. Examination of this wood reveals that it is full of holes, which indicates termite problems. This is one of the solid signs of termites and should be taken care of immediately.
4.Wall Noises
Keep your ears open. Termites sometimes make noises within the inside of the building walls, although this is not always one of the signs of termites. The sound of termites with walls is often described as a crackling or popping noise (Tick-Tick-Tick). This noise only occurs when termites are disturbed by loud noises or smells and is a warning indicator to other termites. If the sound is ongoing, it is probably another wood boring insect and not a termite. To be doubly sure the sound is made by termites, make a small hole at the infested area. If live termites come out of their hiding place, the spot is considered active with termite infestation.
5. Live termites
Life termites are soft and are easily desiccated, light-colored and can range from 1/16 to 1/2 inch in length. They move away quickly when exposed to light.
What do you do if one or more of these signs are found? Do NOT spray with aerosol or any liquid. Do NOT vacuum the mud traces. Do NOT wipe or clean off the mud traces. Seal the hole or crack with cellophane tape.
If you are still not too sure whether the indications that you have observed are signs of termite infestation, you can get a professional termites exterminator who has seen them all — and more — a hundred times before
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