How to Tell If You Have Termites
Termites can be one of the most annoying pests out there, as well as the most costly when it comes to the damage they cause. Termites feed off of wood structures, which means that they can damage a building making it an unlivable place, by eating away at the structure so much and ruining the strength of the building. Here are a few signs to look for to tell whether or not you have termites.
1. Although termites are mostly known for eating anything wood, whether it be the structure of your home, your kitchen or bathroom cabinets, or even your wood furniture, they can eat and create damage to many other materials throughout the home. For example, termites can eat through plaster and metal materials as well, which can also cause some significant damage to your home. If you start to notice tunnels that the termites have created or notice that maybe exposed wood that you may have in your house looks damaged or rotted away, you may very well have termites. At this point you will want to get a termite inspection done to see just how much damage the termites have caused, as well as if there are any safety issues with the damage they caused before trying to deal with them on your own. The termite problem may look small from the outside, but once an inspector is behind the walls and looks at the underlying problem, the damage can be much worse than expected.
2. If you happen to be dealing with subterranean termites, the damage may go unnoticeable until it is too late and the damage can be severe. The signs of subterranean termites can actually appear to be as if you have some small water damage in your home. For example, you could have buckling floors, ceiling, or other wood surfaces, and a small presence of a mildew or mold smell may be apparent. Because the signs of the damage from these termites is small and appears as water damage, you might actually have a full blown termite invasions by the time you realize you have termites, so it is best to get a termite inspection done immediately.
