6 Signs You May Have Termites

Termites are one of the few pests that can live alongside you for years without ever attracting notice unless you know the signs to look for. As termite damage is often not covered by homeowners insurance, it is vital to have routine inspections, termite protection, and to know the signs you may have termites making your home their own. Below our termite exterminators have outlined 6 telltale signs to look out for as indicators that you make have termites in or around your home:

Termite damage inside home.

Wood and paint that looks like it has water damage

If the wood and paint in your home has an uneven or bubbled appearance, that usually means one of two things: your home has water damage or you have termites. If you see this in your home, trying tapping on the area. If it sounds hollow or if your fingernail goes through the paint, these are prime termite indicators.

Your doors are snug in their frames and your windows are difficult to open

This is not always a sign of termite activity. Often, doors and windows that stick are associated with hot and damp weather. Wood expands in heat. However, termites will also create these problems. As they tunnel through wood, they produce moisture that alters the shape of door and window frames.

Sounds coming from inside your walls

While this could be a boiler or part of an AC unit, it’s a good idea to investigate further. If you have termites in your walls, they will make a clicking sound. This results from soldier termites banging their heads against the walls to alert the colony of danger. You may also be hearing worker termites eating.

Termite droppings

Another sure sign of termites is frass, or the droppings of Drywood termites. Unlike their subterranean relatives, Drywood termites do not use their droppings to build their tunnels, so you will find the tiny black marks near the entrances of their nest.

Seeing flying termites

Termite swarmers, also known as alates, are termites that have left the nest to found a new colony. They usually appear in the spring after heavy rain. Seeing them flying around your home does not mean you have termites, but it is worth investigating, especially if you’re finding their discarded wings on your property.

Tunnels in wood and shelter tubes around the home

You typically will not be able to see the tunnels, but if you do happen to find a piece of wood near your home with termite tunnels, it is time to call a pest exterminator and schedule a free inspection.

Subterranean termites can sometimes have more clear signs, as they create shelter tubes out of mud to keep their bodies from drying out as they move. Finding these shelter tubes leading up to and on your home is a concrete indicator that termites are about.

You do not want to delay inspection and treatment for termites. If you suspect that you may have termites in your home, contact Palmetto Exterminators immediately for a free pest inspection. Whether it’s termite control from Palmetto Exterminators Charleston or mosquito control in Myrtle Beach, SC, our team of professionals has service areas in both North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia for all your pest needs.