They may be small, but termites can cause irreparable damage to a home. If you have even the slightest reason to suspect they may have invaded your property, call for professional termite control as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more damage they’ll cause and the better established the colony will become. If you aren’t familiar with the extent of their destruction, there’s vital information you need to know.

What Kinds of Damage Do Termites Cause?

Since termites eat wood and are attracted to moist environments, they’re more likely to pursue homes with wood paneling, decks, or stacked firewood, especially if any of this directly contacts the ground. Once they establish themselves somewhere, however, it won’t be immediately obvious, as termites tend to eat wood from the inside out.

If your home has a wood infrastructure (e.g. wood framing), you might not realize termites are present until parts of your home collapse. Termites can also infest wood furniture, flooring, walls, or anything else made from their primary food source and leave stains similar in appearance to water or mold stains.

When Should I Call for Termite Control?

Termites are difficult but not impossible to notice. If you recognize the signs they’ve invaded a building and call for termite control soon enough, you may be able to curb the infestation. The most common signs include networks of thin, brown tubes (about the width of a pen), which termites use to travel in and distribute food. You can also hear them sometimes: If you tap a surface where termites are present, they may “tap” back at you, as this is how they alarm each other of danger.

Termites also leave frass behind (i.e., droppings, shed skin), usually near entrances to their tubes. Additionally, you should be vigilant if you see evidence of “swarmers” in your neighborhood, such as discarded wings on the ground, or what appear to be flying “ants” in the air. Swarmers are winged termites in search of new territory.