One of the worst plights of a home is a termite infestation! Gone unaddressed, termites can cause serious damage to your property. Unfortunately, most home insurance companies consider termites a preventable problem, meaning any damage will come directly from your pocket!
The pros at Alamo Handyman will tell you: those costs are not cheap! We are here to help you protect your home. If you catch termite activity early, you can save your home and your wallet. Check out our top 5 warning signs of termites below:
Damaged Walls (Small holes, discoloration, and/or drooping)
Termites create little pin holes , which are called exit holes, while feeding on cardboard and wood paneling on your walls. If you have exposed wood, be on the lookout for these small holes!
If the damage is more significant, you may also see a disturbance in your paint and drywall. Sometimes, the holes termites create will disturb the paint on your wall and cause discoloration. Additionally, it may get to a point that your drywall actually begins to sag under the stress of the termite holes.
Signs of Water Damage (where there is no water!)
If your internal paint, external paint, floors, or baseboards seem to be peeling and showing damage as though there is water damage...but there is no water to be found, you may have a termite problem.
There is an easy way to tell the difference between water damage and termite damage. Water will cause your wood to darken, and usually has an unpleasant moldy odor. Termites, on the other hand, will create a hollow appearance and will create grooves in the wood which look like mazes. (More on that below)
"Mazes" in your Home (Along fixtures & furniture)
For particularly significant termite infestations, cracks in your wood may appear, which will then showcase a network of maze-like termite tunnels. The patterns left in the wood can help identify they type of termite, which will help your pest control technician address the problem. If you begin to see this, you will likely need major repair work and replacement to the wood fixtures in your home.
Floorboard Problems (Buckling or squeaking)
When many of our customers envision termites, they think of wall damage. However, termites can also damage your floor. Your floor will look like it has water damage (See above), and you may begin to see "blisters" or bubbling on the surface. Because the damage these pests cause create the blisters and swelling, your floorboards may be squeakier than usual as well. If you suspect termite damage, pay special attention to the sound your floors make as you cross them!
Physical signs of termites (wings, pellets, mud tubes, and swarms)
By the time you see this sign, chances are you have a pretty significant termite problem. Termites swarm and leave the nest in the spring and fall. When they do so, they will leave definite signs of their presence, even if you aren't home to see the swarm yourself!
Be on the lookout for piles of wings, which are small and scaly. Additionally, you may see pellets (which look like sawdust of coffee ground piles), or mud tubes (which look like streams of sawdust alongside the exterior of your home).
If you suspect you have a termite problem, we recommend that you call your trusted pest control company. Once the problem is dealt with by those pros, Alamo Handyman will be here to help you repair your home and restore it to its glory!