4 Signs You May Have Termites

Termites can do a lot of damage to your house before you even know that they are there. That's why you should know what to look for, just so you don't miss any of the small signs that there are termites in and around your house. 

Mud Tubes

One thing you can look for is mud tubes around the foundation of your home. The tubes are made up of soil and termite droppings and help to make sure that the termites get enough moisture in their nest. They aren't going to be as big or obvious as the termite mounds in Africa, but they are going to be visible. One way to help avoid termites and make sure that you see any tubes forming is to make sure that you don't have wood chips, mulch, or firewood right up against your house. That gives the termites a nice place to live, breed, and stage an invasion. 

Piles of "Sawdust"

You may see piles of what you think is sawdust around wooden areas in your house. It's not really sawdust, it's frass. Frass is the fancy word for insect droppings. Some termites just push their droppings out of the nests and out through the holes in the wood, leaving piles on the floor. The frass will look powdery and you may see blackened areas around the dropping. 

Papery Wood

Another sign that you might have termites is that the wood looks and feels papery. Since termites nest and eat wood from the inside out, there is no support left inside, so beams and planks may have a crinkly look or a papery feel. The wood may also sound hollow when you tap or knock on it because there are going to be empty spaces inside the wood. 

Chewing or Clicking

Depending on how large the infestation is, you may even be able to hear the termites, if everything is quiet. You may hear the soldier termites making noise to alert the rest of the nest that something is in the area that could endanger the nest, or you may just actually hear some noise coming from your wall. 

If you think you have termites, the best thing you can do is to get an exterminator out immediately to check out your house. The sooner termites are found, the less damage is done, and the easier it is to get rid of them.