Ridding Your Home of Insects

Termite Trouble: Signs That It's Time To Call An Exterminator

by Ted Miller

When you are a homeowner, there is always something going on. If you are concerned that you may have a problem with termites, further investigation by a pest control specialist needs to occur. You may start to see signs that you could have an infestation in your home, such as dropped wings, hollowed wood, or even mud tubes in crawl spaces in your home. While you might be able to determine that termites are your problem, you'll need the help of a professional to take care of the problem. Termites are active during the year, and it's important to stay vigilant if you have had signs of termite trouble in the past.

You See Frass in Your Home

As dry wood termites eat wood, their droppings are full of what looks like sawdust. Termites will leave behind droppings, otherwise known as frass, throughout your home. If you find termite frass, this is probably very close to the site where the termites are nesting. You can expect to find wood damage in an area where there is a large amount of frass discovered.

You Find Small Piles of Wings in Your Home

Female termites have wings, and they will swarm in your home when the colony is active. They are drawn to light, and therefore easily to find when there's an issue in your home. The female termites will swarm together, and will eventually shed their wings. You may find small piles of these wings in your home once the female termites are done swarming.

There are Mud Tubes on Outside Walls or in Crawl Spaces

Tubes that are made out of earth or mud will be found in your home if you have a termite infestation. You might see these tubes in your crawl spaces, or even on the outside of your home. The tubes are roughly the size of a pen in diameter, and they are used by termites to travel through your home.

With Heavy Infestation You'll Find Hollow Wood

Hollow wood can be hard to detect if the infestation is new and hasn't caused serious damage. If you are concerned about an area of wood in your home, try knocking on it. If it sounds hollow, there is probably serious damage already done to the wood in that area. You might also discover areas where you wall appears sunken, or paint is bubbled.

Whenever you find signs of termite trouble, it's time to call an exterminator who can help you take care of the problem fast. To learn more, contact a company like Eagle Pest Eliminators

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