How to Spot Termite Damage

 

 

Termites compromise the strength and safety of your home, and unfortunately, they often go undetected for many months or even years. Termites are silent but deadly attackers that cause extensive damage and can even make your home unlivable for a significant amount of time.

To prevent extensive damage in your home, it’s important learn about the early warning signs and call a professional exterminator right away to control the situation.

Types of Termite Damage

There are many different types of termites that affect homes in our area, and each one causes distinct damage to wooden structures on your property.

For example, subterranean termites live underground in loose, damp soil and are the most common type of white ant that attacks American homes. The damage that these termites cause can resemble water damage, such as swollen or bucked floors or ceilings. You might also smell scents of mold and mildew. Subterranean termites prefer soft wood and tend to eat wood along the grain.

Another common type of damage is caused by drywood termites, which build colonies inside wooden structures in homes. These types of termites build tunnels inside walls and even furniture, so you may see cracks appear where drywood termites have taken over. Drywood termites like to eat large sections of wood and chew along and against the grain of your wood. It is very difficult to control these types of inner-wall infestations yourself, so call a professional exterminator as soon as you notice unexpected cracks in your home.

Although structural damage is the most common type of termite destruction, these invasive pests eat their way through many other important materials as well. In addition to the structural wood that your home is built with, these are some of the other household materials and areas that termites frequently cause damage to:

  • Siding
  • Plaster
  • Metal
  • Floors
  • Ceilings
  • Furniture

What to Look for in Your Home

Although termites affect homes in different ways, there are a few tell-tale signs that you should remember for future reference. Termites cause at least $5 billion in damage to American homes annually, and it’s better to be safe than sorry so that your family doesn’t end up being part of that statistic.

These are some of the most common signs of termite damage to look for:

  • Weak or missing parts of wood structures
  • Termite wings near closed windows and doors
  • Mud tubes where your house touches the ground
  • Fecal pellets outside of termite tunnels
  • Wood that sounds holly when you tap on it
  • Buckling paint and tiny holes in wood
  • The presence of live termites in your home

Bergen & Passiac County Termite Control

Spotting termites can be very difficult, especially if you haven’t dealt with an infestation before and aren’t sure what to look for. Always call a professional service you trust before trying to control a termite situation yourself. In Northern New Jersey, you can trust the experts at Precise Pest Control because we have over 25 years of experience in the pest control industry and a reputation that lives up to our name.

We specialize in all types of white ant removal, so call us today for prompt and thorough extermination to get the results that you need to ensure the safety of your family, tenants and property.