Termites are quite destructive. If you live in areas where a termite infestation is common, you must remain vigilant. When not addressed immediately, a termite infestation can lead to expensive structural damage to your home. But how do you know you are dealing with termite damage? Keep reading to learn more about signs that termites have caused damage to your home and what you can do about it:
Chewing Noises
When you have termites in your house, you may hear clicking noises that come from inside your home’s walls. This is caused by soldier termites that tend to bang their heads or shake their bodies against the wood whenever there is a disturbance to the colony. They do this to tell the others that they are in danger. Also, worker termites eat woodwork loudly.
Flying Termites or Discarded Wings
Flying termites have left their nest to find suitable mates near or in your house. You may find them swarming at night and are drawn to light sources. Also, swarming can occur during the day for other termite species. Often, dry wood termites swarm following rain at specific times of the year.
Hollow Sounding Wood
Typically, termites eat everything from woodwork, leaving a thin timber veneer or the paint. Thus, any piece of wood they damage can sound hollow or paper when you knock or tap on it. Termites can target wooden rafters, ceilings, beams, and architraves. Also, they can damage laminate flooring and skirting boards. When your flooring is impacted, it might sag or blister in some areas. Check underneath your home’s flooring to find termite activity.
Mud Tubes
Termites build mud tubes as protection. These tubs are usually found near your home’s foundation. Often, subterranean termites made these tubes using termite droppings and soil to offer themselves moisture. Thus, you can stop attracting termites by eliminating environments with plenty of moisture.
How to Handle a Termite Infestation
Termite baits are a popular DIY method to eliminate termites. They are installed around your home’s foundation, interrupting the termite’s natural growth. As the poison acts slowly, the infected termite might bring it back to its colony and infect the others. Although this can help handle a termite issue, your best option is to hire a pest control company. Pest control experts can use different termite treatments to handle your problem, depending on the severity of the infestation you are dealing with.
