Common Sign of Termites in Your House

Statistically speaking, your house is by far more likely to get affected and damaged by termites than by fire.

In accordance with NPMA or National Pest Management Association, damages caused by termites can result in a loss of more than five billion dollars annually.

Moreover, if you are a business owner or a homeowner, you must always be aware of the risk that a bunch of termites can cause to your property.

Apart from that most home insurance policies do not cover any damages caused by termites.

Early detection of termites can actually help in minimizing the overall cost of repairs.

Here in this article, we would be jotting down some of the common signs of infection caused by termites in your living space. Read on to know more.

 

6 Common Signs Of Termites In House

1. Tunnels Or Galleries In Wood

Tunnels inside wooden structures are also known as galleries and it is pretty difficult to see them from outside. However, if you get a sight of those in the pieces of broken timber near your home then it is a probable sign of these pests in the house. Nowadays different types of technologies have been proposed for detecting tunnels and termite activity especially when there aren’t any visible signs. These sorts of technologies include electronic odour detectors, borescopes, infrared detectors, sound detectors, etc. However, only a few of these have been actually tested under laboratory conditions or are in proper use.

2. Hard To Open Windows Or Tight Fitting Doors

Hard to open windows or tight-fitting doors are often considered as signs of hot and damp weather and termites in the house. Usually, the moisture produced while tunnelling or eating doors and window frames causes the wood to get warped, thereby making it tough to open or close them.

3. Termite Dropping

A key sign of dry-wood termites is termite droppings or frass. Unlike any type of subterranean termites, these dry wood termites usually don’t use their faeces to build tunnels. Instead, they tend to push it out of small openings or holes near the entrance of their nest. This might result in small blackish marks or dark powdery substances around the area that are getting infested.

4. Chewing Noises Or Head Banging

Another sign of termite infection is quiet clicking noises coming from the inside part of walls. Usually, soldier termites tend to bang their heads against any wooden substance and also shake their bodies especially when their nest is disturbed in order to signal danger to other termites. Remember termites are sensitive little creatures and they can easily detect noises and vibrations using organs found at the base of their antennae or on the tibia. Furthermore, the work termites are the ones who love to eat your wooden structures and they are also noise eaters. In case you put your ear close to any wooden structure infested by termites you can actually hear them munching away.

5. Mud Tubes On Exterior Walls

Mud tubes usually act as protection towards termites and are usually found near the foundation of your home. These tubes can be easily spotted with the help of naked eyes. Usually, subterranean termite species are known to build these tubes in order to provide moisture for themselves. You can try avoiding termites by easily eliminating moisture-rich environments and storing mulch, firewood, and wood chips away from your house.

6. Discarded Wings Or Flying Termites

This can be typically considered as one of the first signs of infection of termites in the house. These flying termites are usually both females and males that leave their nests in order to find a suitable mate near your property. Moreover, there can be some species that swarm at night and can easily get attracted to light sources. Apart from that other species can swarm in daylight, but remember all dry wood termites tend to swarm just after rains or at some particular time of the year.