Five Signs You May Have Termites
Did you know that each year, termites wreak havoc on buildings and crops in the U.S. to the tune of about $30 billion per year (or $3,000 per average homeowner with a termite problem)?
Even if your home is built with brick or vinyl, you are not in the clear when it comes to termites. They can bypass the exterior to enter and feed on ceilings, floors, cabinets, furniture – and even cardboard boxes or canvases. Similar to teenagers, termites snack around the clock, and some species can lay up to 40,000 eggs per day, so it’s important to catch them early.
How do you know if you have termites, when they sometimes leave virtually nothing visible to the untrained eye that tells you they’re eating your home for lunch? Alexandria Pest Services, we have come up with the following signs that termites could be threatening your most valuable investment:
- Discarded wings left on windowsills, or flying termites inside your home, are a major red flag.
- Wood that is buckled or swollen can be a sign of a termite infestation. If you find or break open a piece of wood and it is honeycombed or carved out, the damage was likely caused by termites, or another wood-destroying organism. You can probe suspected wood with a knife or flat-blade screwdriver to see if it’s been hollowed. Severely damaged wood may sound hollow when tapped.
- Unexplained piles of what appear to be coarse grains of sand, which can be found almost anywhere throughout the structure, may actually be termite fecal pellets pushed out of wood members.
- Mud tubes on walls, along baseboards, or in cracks and crevices that connect underground nests may also indicate termites.
- A moldy scent can also be a sign that destructive termites are present.
How do you beat the destructive yet elusive termite at its game? Call Alexandria Pest Services at 703-923-0925 to schedule a professional inspection of your home. If visible evidence of active infestation or damage is found, we will provide recommendations for the corrective measures needed!
