Discovering that termites have invaded your home can be troubling, but it does not mean that you need to panic. As soon as you observe the evidence of termites within your home, you can call termite control services immediately to stop the termites in their tracks. Here are the five signs of termites to be on the lookout for:
Visible Frass
One of the most prominent signs to watch for in your home is frass or termite excrement. Frass looks similar to sawdust, except that it has more of a pellet shape and can vary in color, whereas sawdust simply looks like dust shavings and is uniform in color. Frass is not directly harmful to you or your home, but it is a clear indicator that your home has a termite infestation and is in need of termite control before the problem worsens.
Signs of a Swarm
A swarm typically takes place in the spring or summertime when the termites gather to reproduce and grow their colony. It is unlikely that you will see the swarm itself, but you should watch out for its results: an abundance of tiny wings. The number one place to check for a swarm before calling termite control is your basement floor, where swarms are most common. Yet, if you don’t find evidence there, it never hurts to check other areas of your home as well. Better safe than sorry!
Damage to Your Home
Termite damage can manifest itself in many forms, from cracks in the internal walls to sagging in the floors. These are serious signs of damage in your home, so you should call termite control services immediately if you notice any unexpected or unusual damage inside your home. Otherwise, the integrity of your floors and walls could become severely damaged, which means you will have to spend a lot of money to repair those elements of your home.
Sticking Windows and Doors
There is wood in the frames of your doors and windows, so termites will often tunnel into those frames and cause them to become misshapen. Not only does this damage affect the appearance of your doors and windows, but it can also make them difficult to open. Calling termite control services to exterminate the termites will prevent the damage from getting worse, which will allow you to repair your window and door frames and get them looking normal again.
Mud Tubes
Termites require a certain temperature range and humidity level to survive in your home, so they build mud tubes to protect themselves while traveling around your house. Mud tubes look like drinking straws made of mud, and they can be found near any termite-caused cracks in your home. You know the drill: if you find them, call termite control for an inspection.