Three Signs Of A Termite Infestation

Pest infestations are a serious concern for your home, as they can cause a great deal of damage to the interior, can cause the spread of diseases, and can be quite costly and complicated to clean up. At the very least, any sort of infestation can be a huge disruption to your everyday schedule. Termites are one of the most destructive pests that your home can suffer from, since they will bury their way through wooden structures. This means that your walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, and any other structures or surfaces made out of wood can be subjected to serious damage if an infestation is not dealt with. Thankfully, there are some warning signs of a termite population within your home that you can look out for to determine when you should contact a termite pest control specialist.

Mud Tunnels

One of the easiest to notice and first to show up signs of a termite population within your home are mud tunnels, usually in your basement or along the outside of your home. These tunnels act as termite highways, and insulate them from weather and predators as they move in search of food. Tunnels are abandoned and constructed constantly, so even if you see an old tunnel with no termites coming out of it, there may still be a presence elsewhere in your home that needs to be dealt with.

Discarded Wings

Another indication of a fast-growing termite colony near or within your home is if you notice discarded wing fragments throughout your home. Termites only have wings when they are young: after they've reached adulthood, they will discard this set of wings. Therefore, if you notice a great deal of wing fragments throughout your home, you may have a new and rapidly growing termite colony to deal with.

Wood Dust and Damage

Finally, the most obvious and typical sign of a well-established termite problem in your home is if you notice any signs of damage to wooden surfaces and structures. Most commonly, this will take the form of sawdust scattered around wooden surfaces, but can also be seen in a spongy feeling wooden surface, unevenness in floors, furniture, and other wooden installations, and divots appearing suddenly in those same wooden surfaces and structures. Contacting a pest control specialist early can help you avoid any sort of significant damage to the interior of your home which may require expensive specialized contractor repair.