They all come marching one by one in your home, and these critters are not ants. Termites are more vicious and, in numbers, they can wreak havoc in your home.
A single termite infestation costs about $600 on average. Severe cases can have homeowners spending up to $3,000. This is money no one wants to spend. The best way to keep money in your pockets is to take preventative measures.
You also want to fix a small problem before it gets out of hand. Keep reading to learn a few signs you have termites in your home.
1. You Deal With Stuck Doors and Windows
Are you having any recent problems with doors and windows that seem to seal shut every time you close them? If your doors and windows are hard to open, you could take it as a sign you have a termite problem.
Termites tend to target both areas because they are often made of wood, making it an easy spot for them. Once termites feast on the wood, your doors and windows begin to warp. This issue can apply to any part of your house made from wood.
Be on the lookout for structural complications with your home too. This is especially important during seasonal changes in humidity.
2. There Are a Lot of Body Sheddings
Termites are bugs many homeowners mistake for ants. But the two are quite different. Unlike ants, ants, a majority of termites do not care for areas with extreme light.
You are likely to see dead bodies in such spots around infested areas they create. You may also hear termite sounds that come from them biting on wood. This noise comes from their munching.
While most termites do not care for light, there are some that do, depending on their stage. Termites in the reproductive stage (known as alates) enjoy fresh air and light.
These are the bugs you may spot crawling around. Reproductives move in swarms during spring or summer. Their swarms are short-lasting and last for about 30 minutes before termites shed their wings, mate, and make more nests.
3. You See Mud Tubes
Mud tubes are narrow vein-like pathways. You may notice them along the side of your home. These tubes begin from the ground and run upwards.
Termites make mud tubes to remain safe from dryness in the air. Termites need to live in moist areas because they have thin exoskeletons. If they are outside too long, they will dry and shrivel up.
Termites can travel with ease with mud tube colonies. If you see these tubes, break away a portion of the tube to check for active infections. Even if it’s empty, you should still be wary. Termites do move and create new spots.
4. There’s Damage Beneath Wallpaper or Paint
Termites can also feed on wood panels and cardboard beneath the walls in your home. They can do this without damaging the wallpaper on the surface or the thin coat of paint.
Termites create their own versions of a home by digging tunnels or galleries. These tunnels have dozens of exit holes for termites to enter and leave as they wish.
Oftentimes, you may not see this disaster as it’s happening because termites are wise to hide under your walls. Key signs to look for are bubbling paint, tiny pinholes, buckling wood, discolored or peeling wallpaper, or dented sunken spots.
5. Termite Droppings Are Everywhere
Termite droppings, or frass, are another sight that can tell you there’s a termite problem. Droppings usually mean that termites have been in your home for a while. Taking preventative measures is ideal before termites house several tunnels.
Once they do, termites will eat through wooden pieces, digest them, and push out the waste to prevent overcrowding. The bad news is droppings are not always an easy thing to see. Most termite droppings are so tiny to the human eye, that it’s easy to miss them or confuse them with something else.
Termites eat as much as three times their weight. If you have massive termites, seeing these droppings are often more evident.
If you are dealing with drywood termites, you can also see the droppings. They are pellet-shaped and brown in color. These droppings appear similar to shavings or wood dust.
6. Appearance of Flying Swarms and Wings
Termites are most likely to create new colonies between the months of April and June. These critters have a strong attraction to bright street lights and gather around them at dusk.
Take a look outside and see if there are any swarms around your garage light or porch. You also want to take a look for stacks of discarded wings around your home. This is often a clear sign you have a lingering termite problem in your home.
You can find these wings scattered around most corners and crevices. These wings may also get caught in spider webs or in the middle of window sills.
7. Problems With Your Backyard
Termites will attack just about anything your residence has containing wood. The outdoors are no exception. Termites can encompass both the inside and outside of your home if you let them.
These vicious bugs will destroy any fence, gate, and shrub on the property. Termites typically work from the outside first. This means you are likely to see problems in your background first before any problem happens to your home.
Keep a watchful eye on your garden and tree stumps. It’s a good idea to look for any mud tunnels, shavings, or holes. Getting rid of termites from your backyard is not easy without professional assistance.
Lavender Pest Control Takes Signs You Have Termites Seriously
In a perfect world, the termites you have in your home will disappear on their own. The sad reality is once there are signs you have termites, they have no plans of going anywhere. At least not without force and professional termite removal.
It takes 3-5 years for termite colonies to mature, meaning extreme damage is more likely over a long period of time. Lavender Pest Control will complete a thorough inspection of your home and exterminate the problem. Contact us for prompt service.
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