How to Identify Termite Damage

Termites are social insects that include three groups: workers, soldiers, and reproductives. They can greatly damage your home or building if you do not get rid of them as soon as you are aware you have them. If you see swarmers, which are termites with wings, then you probably have a termite infestation. Recognizing termite damage will require you to search throughout your home for certain signs.

Instructions

1. Knock on your walls to see whether there is a hollow sound. Termites eat wood and create tunnels in their colony, creating hollow space in the walls.

2. Look for termite pellets on the floor near baseboards and window sills. Some termites will make pin holes in various areas where they nest to push out their waste. Search walls and windows for pinholes above the piles of pellets.

3. Examine your walls, ceilings and floors for crumbling or deteriorating wood. Termites eating and digging at the wood could create severe damage, causing gaps to appear.

4. Search for mud tubes. Many termites use mud tubes to connect one location to another when there is an opening or break between the soil and wood or from wood to wood. You can see mud tubes from the soil to the foundation of the building or in the basement or near ceilings. Mud tubes are about 1/2 an inch in diameter.

5. Look for dying trees. If the tree is decaying, termites can infest it, causing it to completely die. If this occurs, you can prevent the termites from entering your home or killing other trees if you get rid of them before swarmers fly to start new colonies.

References

• Termites Gone Wild: Signs of Termite Damage