How severe can a termite infestation become? Well, that depends a lot on how long the termites have been gnawing away at your property and what stage the infestation when the discovery is made. A small termite infestation that starts in the spring, but not noticed until late summer, the damage to your home or business property might not be all that bad.
However, the problem is that most home and property owners don’t become aware of the infestation until the colony has created significant problems for the structural integrity of the house or building.
In addition to the impact termites can have on homes and buildings, they can also cause health issues for individuals. Dust and other particles from termite nests can spread throughout your home or business through the ventilation system and trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions.
As you can see, it is in your best interest to discover and get rid of these pests as soon as possible. Earthwise Pest Management, your termite control service in Sacramento, offers signs that termites are terrorizing your house.
Frass Here and There
Drywood termites leave behind droppings called frass. These droppings look like tiny wood pellets and have six sides. When you spot frass in your home, it can already be a sign of advanced infestation. We recommend you give us a call right away.
Tunnels in the Wood
Termite tunnels, also known as galleries, are quite difficult to see from the outside. You might spot them in a piece of broken wood either in your house or close to it. This is a sign that termites have invaded your home.
There are plenty of ways to detect tunnels in your home or business, even if you can’t see them with the naked eye. If you suspect termites, give us a call.
Hollow Wood
Drywood termites consume wood from the inside out. When you poke at wood that has termite damage, it will sound hollow. In fact, tap on it hard enough and you could poke a hole in it.
You might have heard stories about people who discovered they had termites only after a vacuum cleaner goes through a skirting board. Others have discovered termites after pressing on a door frame and the finger breaks through.
Tight Doors and Windows
If you have tight doors and windows are hard to close, it might just be related to the temperature or it could have to do with foundation damage. But it could also be caused by termites. Moisture is produced when termites eat and tunnel through your house, this causes the wood to warp and your windows to stick.
Head Banging
No, not in the sense of your typical adolescent male listening to death metal and banging his head, but rather the sound you might hear termites make.
Soldier termites bang their heads against the wood or shake their bodies to signal danger to other termites. Worker termites, the ones who are devouring your home, are noisy eaters. If you put your ear to the wall and listen carefully, you might actually hear them munching away.
Incidentally, termites love rock music. One study found that wood-addicted insects work faster when rock music is played. When termites are subjected to rock music, they eat twice as fast. You might want to swap out that Imagine Dragons CD for some classical music.
Outdoor Signs
Trees on your property with termite damage means that the colony could be headed straight for your home. One way to tell if your trees have termites is to look for small holes and wood shavings where they enter the tree. The best place to look is around the base of the tree.
Discarded Wings
As a termite colony matures, winged termites leave the nest to create a new colony. When they are no longer needed, termites shed their wings. The presence of wings in your home is a sign that you could have an infestation.
Since termites are attracted to light, it is likely that you will find wings on window sills or in spider webs.
Bubbling Paint
One sign of a termite infestation is bubbling or uneven paint. Of course, it could also be water damage. But you should investigate either way.
If you suspect termites on your property, give Earthwise Pest Management a call.