Hundreds of millions of dollars in damages are done by termites every year in Australia. These pests can silently eat away the wooden structure of your home until the issue is brought to your attention. As the damages are not covered in any home insurance policies, it is imperative that you are able to recognise the early signs of a termite nest in a house. Here are the five signs that could be indicative of termite infestation in your space!
1. Hollow-Sounding Timber
The pests silently eat away the wood in your home, only leaving behind the paint or veneer of the wood. When the sound of knocking on the door frame or the skirting board sounds hollow, it could be indicative of termite infestation in your home. It could also be indicated if the wood crumbles when the screwdriver is placed on it with the slightest pressure. This is an essential sign, as the pests silently eat away the structure of your home.
2. Stiff Windows and Doors
The windows and doors in your home could be stiff due to the high humidity level in your home or due to your home settling. However, the pests are also capable of increasing the humidity level in your home. The excess moisture in the wood causes it to swell up, making the doors stiff and the windows difficult to open.
3. Mud Tubes on Exterior Walls
In order for them to live, termites need a specific amount of temperature and humidity. For safe travel from their underground colonies to your house’s food source, subterranean termites build protective tubes out of saliva and dirt. You usually see these tubes crawling up the side of your house’s brick, concrete foundation, or wooden stump. Even if you open one of these tubes, you will see live termite workers rushing to fix the damage.
4. Small Piles of Frass
Drywood termites usually leave behind obvious signs that indicate that they have already infested your house. The obvious signs that drywood termites leave behind are small piles of droppings, also called frass. When drywood termites infest your house’s wooden structures, they usually push out their droppings out of the wood structure they are infesting in order to keep their colony clean. Seeing small piles of frass around your house’s baseboards or under your furniture that is made of wood is a good indication that drywood termites are already infesting your house.
5. Discarded Wings Near Entry Points
When the colonies of drywood termites reach a specific age, reproductive termites come out of their colonies and go into the air in search of mates and to create a new colony. The swarmers are usually attracted to sources of light. When the swarmers find their mates and create a new termite colony, they usually discard their wings and go into the ground or wood. Seeing several similar and transparent termite wings around your house’s windows or in the webs of spiders is an indication that a new colony of drywood termites is already starting in your house.
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Protect Your Home Before It Is Too Late
In case any of these signs are observed, action should be taken immediately. It is not recommended that you try to control these pests on your own, as this may result in them moving further into the structure of your house. It is recommended that you seek professional advice from a licensed pest control professional as soon as you can.
A professional will be in a position to assess your situation and give you advice on how to handle your pest problem, as well as advice on how to prevent future invasions. The best way to ensure your most valuable financial asset is protected from any future pest invasions is through annual pest control inspections!
