Termites are pests that do a lot more than just looking bad. When left unattended, termites can even cause foundations of buildings to crack and break down. Inside the house or any property, termites can break down any woodwork you might have. How to spot termites or termite infection for your property needs the right knowledge and skill.
Understanding how to spot termite damage and their signs is pretty important for property owners around the world. Signs of termite activity can be different for different properties as well. Identifying them for your home or property can depend on where you live and the actual types of termites too. Asking help from professional pest control Langley service providers or any local ones is a safe option.
Here’s what you need to know about termites and how to identify them:
Termites Can Be Stealthy
For many weeks, months or even sometimes years, termite activity can go unnoticed. How to spot termites when you cannot identify their activity right! According to estimates, termites can cause more than $5 billion in structural damage to homes and all kinds of properties.
So, the question becomes, how do these tiny winy pests achieve so much and how to spot termites too? First of all, the biggest reason of termites being undetected for so long is that they live underground. Organically, termites (bar reproductive ones) are unable to take sunlight and heat of the outdoors.
Most termites spend their entire lifecycles hidden away from sight. Inside walls, below floors and other non-active spaces are their preferred colonies. Also, when they attempt to move to a different resting place, worker termites will build mud tubes to move through shielding from daylight.
Once termites make their way into your property, they will remain hidden inside walls and floors. Wooden structures for all those pores and nature of material are their favorite to hide. In fact, you are unlikely to ever lay eyes on termites in your home. So, how to spot termites when you can’t see them?
How to Spot Termites in Your Property?
You most probably cannot spot the actual termites before finding out where they are hiding. This doesn’t mean you can just not know their signs. Termites love humidity. Colder wet climates will always have more termite problems to deal with. A professional pest control Vancouver service in Canada might be needed when you have full termite infestation going on in any property. Here’s how to spot termites or at least their how to spot termite damage signs for nay property:
- Termites build mud tubes to shield themselves from outside temperatures and light when travelling. This can be the very thing that tells you about termite infection. Look for mud tubes the width of a simple pencil. They will be typically built on foundation walls or going in or out of any woodwork.
- Any woodwork having exposed wood can tell about termite infection as well. How to spot termites with exposed wood? Look for small holes inside pieces of exposed wood. These can be telltale signs of termites borrowing that space.
- Try knocking on exposed wood that you suspect of termite infection gently. Any hollow sound (knowing that piece of wood is not hollow), can be caused by termites eating away the inside wood. These can be related to termite tunnels.
- Look for some sawdust type of material below those holes in the exposed wood. If you find both, small holes in wood and sawdust below them, chances of termite infection multiply. This happens as termites push debris termed as frass out of their holes for cleaning purposes.
- Sticky doors and wooden windows or a tighter than normal feeling in them can also be caused by termite infection. This can also occur during the humid months of a year. Also, this can a termite sign as well.
- Pile of discarded termite wings can also be a sure sign. Reproductive termites often come out in the open to mate during spring season. They do this in a large swarm and shed wings after having found a mate. This pile would be brownish in color with easily blowing away pieces.
- Peeling paint or bubbles in your wall paint can be a subjective sign of termites as well. How to spot termites in a damaged wall paint? Well, peeling paint can also be caused by humidity in your wall. Look for any other corelating abovementioned signs of termite infections.
- A noticeable sag or bulge in walls, ceilings or floors can be a sign of termite infection as well. As termites eat through the wood or walls, their wasted materials pile up. These piles can also be made from mud tubes that they create. Either way, look for bulges and sagging floors or walls.
- Listen to faint clicking sounds coming from inside walls, ceilings or woodworks. Termites are not exactly loud but whatever they do can produce faintest of sounds. How to spot termites can be answered by listening to termites. How bizarre.
How to Not Attract Termites into Your Property
Question also has to be asked, what attracts termites? You will be surprised to know how much termites get attracted by moisture. Their organic build requires a lot of moisture in the soil they live. They also love it in wood that they infest. They will infest any type of good dry wood but are more likely to infest water damaged woods.
You can do great by reducing moisture in various parts of your home. Keep any water collecting points dry and away from your walls and foundation. Install dehumidifiers even when necessary. Excess humidity is not good for breathing and skin of humans as well. Use our guide on how to spot termites and hire your local pest control Abbotsford service anytime for complete eradication.
