Termites are among the most common pests. They thrive in warm, moist climates and don’t cause immediate damage when they enter your home. If you find termite droppings, it’s time to call for professional pest control services. This guide will explain how to spot signs of termites living inside your house so that you can act quickly and save yourself thousands of dollars in repairs!
Termite Damage to Wood
Termites is a common pest that can cause severe structural damage to homes, furniture and other wooden items. If you suspect termite damage to your home, it is essential to take the appropriate steps for remediation.
The first step in checking for termite damage is knowing where they live and how they get into your home. Termites live in colonies underground or inside buildings. These colonies are made up of soldier caste members who protect their queens and hatchlings from intruders such as ants or other insects that may try to invade their territory by blocking off entrances with mud balls. There are three types of termite species: subterranean, dry wood and damp wood. The most common type found is dry wood because it does not require any water sources like damp wood does but still enjoys being close to large trees where food sources are plentiful.
Termite Damage to Drywall
Termites can eat through drywall and frames, wires and cables, insulation, and your house’s foundation. You can check for termite damage to drywalls in the following ways:
- Drywall is a great choice for most walls because it’s inexpensive and easy to work with. But the stuff isn’t exactly durable—termites can eat through it in relatively short order if they want to.
- They can do the same thing with wooden framing around windows and doors—that’s one of the reasons why you’ll occasionally see gaps where these joints meet up with adjacent walls or ceilings.
- And did you know that termites love electrical cables? They’re attracted to them like moths are drawn to flames; if there’s any type of cable in your home that has been exposed by drywall removal, there’s a good chance that some hungry little creatures have made themselves at home inside of it!
Termite Damage to Plants
Termite damage is often subtle but can be particularly important to watch for in plants. You can check for termite damage to plants in the following ways:
- Look at the trunk of plants. If a termite colony has been active in your home, you may see tunnels and hollowed-out areas on the trunks of your plants.
- Check the leaves of your plants, as well as their flowers and roots. Damaged leaves would appear wilted or brown, with holes in them. Damaged flowers would be discoloured or dead altogether; damaged roots will look like they’ve been chewed on by insects or rodents.
Termite Droppings
If you see termite droppings, that’s a sign of a problem. Termites leave behind wood-coloured pellets about the size of a grain of rice, which can be found in any room in your home. While this is not an immediate danger to your health, it indicates an active infestation happening somewhere nearby—and since termites eat through the wood to get at their food source (usually cellulose), they can cause serious damage as they go along.
Benefits of Hiring Professional Inspections for Termites
The benefits of hiring a professional inspector to check for termites are obvious. A trained technician can easily identify the signs of termites and will be able to help you assess the extent of your damage. The cost of hiring a professional inspector is also far outweighed by other benefits, including:
- Expertise: Professional inspectors have years of experience in identifying termite damage and understanding how to repair damages caused by these wood-destroying insects. This knowledge gives them an edge over individuals who might mistake other pests for termites, leading them down the wrong path when trying to fix their homes after discovering infestations themselves.
- Time saved: When you hire someone else to perform this task for you, it frees up time that would otherwise be spent researching treatment options and performing them yourself.
