QA

Quick Answer: How To Tell If You Have Termite Damage

Keep an eye out for the following signs of termite activity: Discolored or drooping drywall. Peeling paint that resembles water damage. Wood that sounds hollow when tapped. Small, pinpoint holes in drywall. Buckling wooden or laminate floor boards. Tiles loosening from the added moisture termites can introduce to your floor.

How many years does it take for termites to cause noticeable damage?

Termite colonies can take 3 to 5 years to fully mature. While there is no accurate way of calculating the exact age of an infestation, there are ways to make accurate predictions of their age. It can take anywhere from 3 to 8 years for termite damage to show up depending on the size of the colony.

What does mild termite damage look like?

Termite damage sometimes appears similar to water damage. Outward signs of termite damage include buckling wood, swollen floors and ceilings, areas that appear to be suffering from slight water damage and visible mazes within walls or furniture. Termite infestations also can exude a scent similar to mildew or mold.

How quickly can termites destroy a house?

With about 2 million termites working in the right condition they can cause significant damage within the first few months. A home can be totally destroyed in a year or two.

What happens if termites go untreated?

Since many species of termites build colonies in the ground, reach the foundation and floor joists of your home isn’t a very long journey. Termites that are left untreated can cause such extensive damage to your foundation and the supports of your subfloor that your floors could literally fall apart.

How serious is termite damage?

Termites are known to cause severe damage to homes, sometimes costing thousands of dollars in repairs that are not typically covered in standard insurance policies. Discovering damage at your home is an unsettling experience, but a trusted pest control professional can help.

Do termites go away on their own?

Can termites go away on their own after they have invaded a home or business? A. Yes, they can go away on their own. Without a termite treatment, there is no way of knowing when a healthy termite colony will return to re-infest a structure.

Do termite infestations smell?

If you’re wondering whether termites have an odor, the answer is yes — and it’s not a pleasant one. A termite infestation can smell like mildew, damp leaves, or mold.

Do termites bite people?

Essentially, termites definitely bite wood and do attack other insects, but they do not bite people. Although homeowners experiencing an infestation should not be concerned about receiving bites from termites, professional extermination methods should be sought and implemented to protect the structure of your home.

How big of a problem are termites?

According to the National Pest Management Association, termites cause more than $5 billion in property damage each year.

How fast do termites eat through wood?

The rate at which termites eat wood depends on many factors such as the species of termite, size of the colony, type of wood, climate, and location. Experts estimate that over a period of about five months, a group of around 60,000 termites can eat the equivalent of one foot of a 2×4 beam.

What are the signs of termites in your home?

5 Signs of a Termite Infestation Stuck Windows or Doors. Do you have a window or door that recently feels stuck, or suddenly became much harder to open or close? Damage under Paint or Wallpaper. Termite Swarmers & Discarded Wings. Mud Tubes. Termite Droppings.

When should I worry about termites?

While these pests may look harmless, they can cause significant amounts of destruction when they’re in groups (or “colonies”). In fact, termites cause around $5 billion in property damage every year and can ruin nearly any piece of architecture if given the time, so you definately should be worried about termites.

Whats the worst termites can do?

Termites have mainly come into existence to do only one thing which can utterly destroy the worth of a Gilbert house within a short period. They eat wood, and they can quickly devour it. The common colony can feed and finish a 2×4 wood of a feet length in six months.

What does termite poop look like?

Drywood termite pellets are tiny, oval-shaped capsules with six concave sides and rounded ends. These pellets, which are about 1 millimeter in length, can form small mounds beneath kick out holes. The mounds may look like small piles of salt or pepper.

Do termites come back after treatment?

Will termites come back after treatment? Termites may return after treatments. Luckily, companies like Orkin and Terminix promise to re-treat at no extra cost if you have a termite plan with them.

What’s the lifespan of a termite?

Lifespan. Workers and soldiers live approximately one to two years. Queen termites may survive for over a decade under optimal climate conditions.

Why do they drill holes for termite treatment?

Drilling into the slab is a good way to reach termites. Holes can also be drilled directly into infested wood, which is another way of reaching termites directly. Rodding gets the insecticide deep into the soil, and then the termites carry it back to their nests, where it wipes out the colony.

What to do when you find termite droppings?

Therefore, it’s important to get it removed from your home as soon as possible to avoid any health issues. Saying that, it is not recommended to clean up the termite droppings by yourself as soon as you spot them. You should first get it inspected and confirmed by a pest control professional.