What Does Termite Damage Look Like?
Termites are sneaky little critters. Their modus operandi is mostly behind closed doors, with their work often concealing the damage until it’s too late. By the time you notice the damage, they’ve likely been dining on your home for years. And that damage? It can be serious, expensive, and even harmful to your property’s structure.
So, what can you do to get ahead of them? Well, rigorous termite inspections are a good beginning – we recommend once a year as a minimum. But it does help to know what termite damage really looks like, so you can catch the warning signs early and act quickly.
Let’s dissect that and give you some things to keep an eye on.
Key Signs of Termite Damage
It’s difficult to tell when termites are active; after all, they’re not exactly leaving a sign saying “we were here!” But there are some giveaway signs. If any of these are spotted around your house, it’s time to bring in the experts.
These are some of the typical signs of termite damage:
Hollow-sounding timber
Mud tubes
Bow or sag floors and ceilings
Knobbly skirting boards or furniture
Creaking noises in your roof
Let’s go up a bit closer to each.
Hollowed Wood
One of the most frequent signs of termite damage is wood that sounds hollow when tapped. That’s because, unlike bucket or beam termites, who consume wood from the inside out, carving tunnels and chambers to get at the cellulose, Formosans eat it all.
Even from the outside, your wood may appear perfectly normal. Give it a knock, and it might sound a bit hollow or even crumble in your hands. A surface that breaks up readily or on which the plaster chips easily may well do so inside the pool, too, which is a major warning sign.
Mud Tubes
Have you seen peculiar little tubes or tunnels built out of soil or mud that stretch, apparently, up walls or along foundations? These are mud tubes and they’re one of the most obvious signs that termites are around.
Termites use this tunnels allows them to safely travel from their home to your home (and their food source). with air and light being locked out. If you stumble across them, don’t smash them open. It might make the termites scatter and more difficult to treat the infestation. Instead, call in the pros.
Swollen Floors and Ceilings
Does your floor appear to be caved in, or your ceiling bowed? That may be more than moisture damage; it could be termites at work.
From sawing timber, termites damage the structure of the pieces of timber. That can lead to lifted floorboards, cracked tiles or sagging ceilings. It’s a common problem in an extensive infestation, and regrettably, one that can be confused with moisture damage. When in doubt, get it checked.
Damaged Skirting Boards and Furniture
Now and then termite damage may even start to appear on exposed timber surfaces. You may notice cracks, rough patches, or maze-like patterns in skirting boards or some wooden furniture, particularly around corners.
Creaking Roofs
Termites are attracted to anywhere that is dark, not too noisy, and has moisture: Your roof or ceiling space provides the perfect environment for a colony.
If you hear nonsquare creaks and groans from above, it may not be old lumber — it might be termites slowly consuming your roof beams. Not a slam dunk, but something to have a professional inspect.
Why Early Detection Matters
The tricky thing with termites is that when you see visible damage, it’s usually too late to spare the infestation. It’s why discovering problems early matters so much.
However, early on certain indications you’ll easily overlook unless you’re aware of what to look for are abandoned termite wings, flying termites (also known as swarmers) or the minor piles of frass (termite droppings). That’s where a termite inspection by a professional proves most useful.
In general we say the sooner they are caught the easier (and cheaper) it will be to deal with it.
Protect Your Property with a Professional Inspection
Whether you’ve already seen some termite damage, or simply just want peace of mind, scheduling a comprehensive termite inspection is one of the smartest ways to keep your home safe.
Our team is here to help. We also provide comprehensive inspections, pre-purchase reports and custom termite treatment solutions. And if there are termites, we will find them, and we will deal with them. And if they’re not, we’ll see that they stay away. So, don’t wait until you’re already seeing termite damage. Let’s not let it get started.
J&D Termite Treatment Morley offers all pest control services in Morley and surroundings. Feel free to contact us at (08) 6275 6552 or visit our website:
https://jdtermitetreatment.com.au/
