7 Signs of Termites in Your Home

Termites are small and very hard to spot early on in their damage cycle. However, if you know what signs to look for, it is possible that you can find them before it is too late. 

However, even if you don’t find them right away, finding them sooner if you suspect you may have an infestation is always better than later. Here are 7 signs that you might have termites in your home. 

1. Swarms 

Many people don’t realize that before they start moving into your home, termites actually have wings. 

They fly outdoors in swarms of other termites, which are composed of male and female termites. These young termites have left their home colony after reaching maturity to find a mate and establish a new colony. 

While these swarms most often occur outdoors, they can also occur indoors – and inside your home. 

2. Wings

When these swarms of termites have subsided (meaning that they have found a place to build a colony) they will not need their wings again. 

Once termites have settled, they will shed their wings, because they will not need to fly again. These tiny wings are typically found near windows and areas where there are sources of light. If you see these tiny wings in your windowsill, call a professional immediately.

3. Mud Tubes

Termites typically will build mud tubes around the foundation of your home in order to get to their food source (your home). 

When they do this, they create tiny tunnels that they can live inside of. The moisture from the soil helps keep them alive and from drying out. If you see these tiny tubes outside of your home near the foundation, there are likely termites trying to move in. 

4. Outdoor Damage

One telltale way to figure out if there are termites near or inside of your home is by looking outside. 

Often, trees can have damage from termites, such as hollowed-out trees and driftwood, for holes, and sawdust-like pellets at the base of a tree. 

5. Frass

The sawdust that you may find at the base of trees in your yard or near the baseboards in your home is actually something very different. It is frass, which is the droppings left by termites. 

If you see a sawdust-like substance on the floors or in the attic of your home, this is almost always a sign of termites. It is recommended to get a termite inspection by a professional inspector if you notice this. 

6. Clicking or Tapping 

If you are in your quiet home, and you notice a small sound that is like a tapping or clicking, this may mean that termites are in your home. 

This sound is produced when termite soldiers (the termites who protect the colony) feel threatened and need to alert the rest of the colony. They do this by shaking their bodies or banging their heads against the walls. 

7. Hollow Sounding Wood

If you are hanging a picture frame in your home, and when you knock on the wall trying to find the beam and it sounds hollow, this could mean that termites have made their way into your home. 

Sometimes, termites eat the wood so thinly that there is hardly anything left but that paint that was on the walls. If you notice that your walls are sounding hollow, call a professional termite inspector immediately.