Every year, termites cause more than $5 billion worth of property damage throughout the United States.
To make matters worse, this damage usually isn’t covered by homeowners insurance policies, meaning people are left having to pay for repairs out of their own pockets.
Do you have a suspicion that you have a termite problem in your home? Are you unsure of what signs to look out for?
Read on to learn about five common signs you have termites. You’ll also learn what to do to combat these pests before you totally destroy your property.
1. Clicking Sounds
If you notice a soft clicking sound coming from the walls of your home, termites are the most likely culprit.
Some termites actually bang their heads against wood or shake their bodies as a warning sign to the other termites in their colony.
You might also hear the sounds of termites chewing away at the woodwork in your home if you listen closely.
If you suspect that termites have taken up residence in a particular area of your home, place your ear close to the wood and listen for any strange noises.
2. Discarded Wings
Some people accidentally mistake termites for flying ants. An easy way to tell that you’re dealing with termites and not ants, though, it to look for discarded wings.
If you notice little piles of wings in your home, termites are most likely the issue.
Flying termites lose their wings shortly after they find a mate. Flying ants, on the other hand, do not shed their wings.
You might also spot flying termites swarming at night before they’ve discarded their wings. You may see them buzzing around near light sources, which many varieties are attracted to.
3. Hollow Timber
You may notice that timber in or around your home produces a hollow sound when you knock on it. It may have a thin, papery texture as well.
This happens when you have an infestation of drywood termites. These termites eat wood from the inside out. They leave a thin veneer of the timber behind, or sometimes the paint and nothing else.
You may stumble across wood that termites have eaten through by accident, too. If your foot falls through a floorboard on your porch or deck, for instance, termites could be the problem.
4. Wood Tunnels
If you look carefully at a piece of wood, you might also notice signs of termite damage.
Take a look at a broken piece of timber or another piece of wood in or around your house and check for the presence of tiny tunnels, also known as galleries.
If you find any galleries, this is a major sign that termites have taken up residence and are working their way through your home.
5. Termite Droppings
As with any kind of pest infestation, the presence of droppings is another red flag that you’re dealing with unwanted visitors in your home.
If you notice termite droppings — which are also known as frass — you’re definitely dealing with a termite problem.
Termite droppings look like small black marks or a dark powdery substance. You’ll likely find droppings near areas where termites are tunneling and chowing down on the wood that makes up your home.
Have You Seen Signs You Have Termites?
Now that you’ve read through some of the common signs of termite infestation, does it look like you’re dealing with one in your home? If so, you need to take action right away.
DIY termite treatment options are not very effective at getting rid of termites. There’s a lot that can go wrong when you try to tackle termites on your own. You could accidentally expose yourself and your family to dangerous chemicals, for example.
Remember that DIY approaches aren’t always more cost-effective either. If you spend a bunch of money trying to get rid of termites on your own and the DIY treatments don’t work, you’ll end up having to pay more money to have a professional come out and address the problem.
In the time you spent on DIY treatments, the termites will have caused even more damage to your property, too. This will result in more extensive issues and more expensive repairs for you.
Instead of trying to handle a termite infestation on your own, it’s best to call a professional exterminator as soon as you notice signs that termites are present in your home.
Common Termite Treatment Services
There are a few different approaches that professionals will take when it comes to eliminating termites. The following are some of the most common termite treatment services they might use in your home:
Borate Treatment
Borates are safe, odorless compounds used to control all kinds of pests, including termites. An exterminator can apply borates throughout your home in powder, liquid, or foam form.
Bait System
The bait system is another viable option. It’s also one of the least invasive termite-control approaches you can take.
This approach involves placing special monitoring stations throughout your home. If termite activity is detected in the monitoring station, insecticide bait gets inserted inside of the station to eradicate the termites.
Tent Fumigation
If borate treatment or bait treatments don’t work, tent treatment is your best option.
Tent fumigation is also the most effective option if you can’t locate termites within your home or if you have multiple termite colonies in your home at one time.
Tent fumigation is highly effective and covers your entire house, so termites will be totally destroyed and unable to rebuild their colonies.
Get Help with Termites Today
Are you ready to get rid of termites for good?
Remember, if you’ve seen signs you have termites in your home, you need to act as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more time they have to wreak havoc on your property and cause extensive, expensive damage.
If you’re located in or around the South Florida area and have a termite problem, we’re here to help at Command Pest Control.
Contact us today to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment for a free estimate.
