Every year in the United States, termites and similar insects or pests cause a total of $30 billion in damage to about 600,000 homes. Thriving in damp, dark places, termites can enter your home through a space as small as 1/32 of an inch. If you’re worried you might have an infestation of the pesky insects in your house, you’ll need to call a home exterminator for pest control as soon as possible. Here are 5 signs to tell if you have termite damage:
1. Visible cracks. Sudden, unexplained cracks in your interior walls are some of the most common termites signs. They live off of the cellulose found in wood in the walls. You should check the ceiling and floor as well.
2. Hollow walls. Because termites consume wood particles, you can tell if they’re present by knocking or tapping on your walls. If they sound hollow, there’s a good chance you have some pretty severe termite damage already and should call pest control immediately.
3. Droppings. Known as frass, seeing these pellets around your home is a sure sign you have a termite problem. You might find piles of frass, often the color of wood, mixed with wings or dead termites by windows or doors in particular.
4. Mud tubes. Termites build these tunnels as a sheltered path from their nest to food source and can be found near baseboards or on exposed concrete or flooring. They’re often about a pencil size in width.
5. Mildew smell. If you smell something similar to mold, it might be termites. This scent is typically a sign of a major infestation so it’s a very serious symptom that should not be ignored.
One of the most unfortunate things about termites, known as the silent killers, is that their presence often goes unnoticed until major damage has already been done. If you are at all concerned that you might have an infestation, don’t hesitate to contact pest control to conduct a thorough inspection and provide professional termite treatment. The sooner you address the issue, the less costly and time consuming the solution will be. And even if you don’t have termites (yet), you can have your home treated as a preventive measure!
