How to find the signs of termites

How to find the signs of termites

Signs of Termites

Termites and the signs of termites are a common problem for all home owners across the world. In North America alone one can say that the loss due to the termites is supposed to reach millions of dollars. To cut down on the loss due to the presence of termites it is important to check the house on periodical basis for the signs of termites. It is actually very difficult to identify the signs of termites without looking out for them. This is because termites are usually the silent workers who quietly and continuously eat into the house structure and create serious problems to the house without showing any external signs of termites.



But before looking for the signs of termites it is important for all us to remember that termites are not all that bad. In fact termites are of great use to the mankind as they help in bio degrading rotten wood back into the ecosystem.

This article is for the benefit of homeowners and is aimed at helping them to identify the signs of termites before they wreck havoc in the house. Looking for the signs of termites is not an easy task but one can check and identify correctly the signs of termites after going through the details given below.

The first step in looking for signs of termites is checking your house carefully from top to bottom. There are primarily two different types of termites – the subterranean and the drywood varieties.

The most common varieties found in North America are the subterranean termites. The signs of termites while mating in this category are the cloud formation that they make during the seasons of spring and autumn. These termites are more like ants with pairs of wings. They live mostly under concrete and are difficult to reach to making the finding of the signs of termites. The way to search for the signs of termites in this category is to check for the moisture present. Another of the signs of termites is the mud tunnels they make so as to create pathways for themselves so as to reach for the wood. These tunnels which are a sure signs of termites are usually about half a centimeter wide. If these termites are present in your house other signs of termites are the cloud formations mentioned earlier.  One should check in the basements, under the house crawl spaces for mud trails which are one of the most common signs of termites hiding in. Another signs of termites of this type is the blistering of wooden panels which become thin from within.

When it comes to the other variety of termites – the drywood, one can find signs of termites in the West Coast of North America. One can find the signs of termites in the houses, dead tree or even the fences. These species are bigger in size than the other type and are red in color. The signs of termites can be seen in the powdered wood grains one finds near the wooden furniture or woodwork in general.  These common signs of termites are actually the fecal pellets of the termites. Other signs of termites are the discarded wings on the ground which can be found covering your floor one fine day.

If after careful looking for the signs of termites one finds them it is vitally important that the experts are called in to stop the damages. One should show to the experts all the signs of termites found in the residence.  After the complete corrective action is taken it is important to keep checking for the signs on a regular basis so that the problem does not reoccur.