Do I have Termites in my Home?

If you are asking yourself, do I have termites in my home, there is a pretty good chance you are correct. You have a right to be concerned because as you may know, termites destroy homes—inch by inch. Colonies thrive in damp, dark places with plenty of wood for food (termites eat cellulose that is present in wood). This pest is particularly troubling because they live, feast, and breed unseen. Left undetected, the wood-chomping pests can claim costly destruction.

The National Pest Management Association attributes a staggering $5 billion worth of damages annually to termites. For that reason alone, you need to pay extra special attention to your property to prevent the spread of termites in the home. How to identify them is a good start. Any reputable pest management company will be able to provide you with a Free Termite Inspection. This is a quick and efficient way to go. However, if you suspect you have Termites in your home, here are five easy steps to help you accomplish this goal until you can get an exterminator out to your home.

Inspect the outside of your home for mud tunnels.

Termites travel in protected structures. They build mud tunnels or tubes, the size of a pencil’s width. You can find more info on the interesting behavior of Subterranean Termites here. You will typically find such structures right along the exterior walls (and sometimes interior walls) of your home. The mud tunnels take termites to their nest and their food source. A good pest control technician in your area will have the technique to look in obscure areas you might not expect Termites to have begun to work. Always follow up with your Pest Control Company if you see signs of tunnels or tubes.

Tap on wood.

Since you’re already out and about your property looking for mud tunnels, you might as well include the pile of wood near your home. Tap on those stacks of winter firewood and listen for that hollow sound. Termites will consume wood from the inside out. So the piles of wood lying around your yard would have hollow insides.

Find sawdust or wood damage.

This is one of the more obvious signs of termite activity. It may also indicate severe infestation since your timber flooring or ceiling is starting to sag or buckle. You may also find traces of sawdust.

Look for termite droppings.

Another clear sign of termite colonization is droppings. You will find termite feces, also called frass, near tunnels. Termites like to keep their “home” clean and so kick out their droppings, as well as dead termites, outside where they nest or feed. Termites also happen to use their feces as part of the building material for mud tunnels.

Droppings look like piles of pepper or Arborio rice. They are small, oval-shaped capsules around 1 millimeter in length.

Find the reproductive swarm.

This is when winged creatures come up from the ground during summer or spring. It is unlikely you’ll witness the actual mating but you can find evidence of it afterwards. Look for piles of wings on the floor of your basement.

Once you’ve noticed one or two things from this list, in your Modesto home, call a pest management service at once. Get rid of the termites. Keep your home safe. And keep its value intact.