Pest Control
Signs Your Home is Infested With Termites
by Business Listings EditorDamage done by termites. Photo Credit: webb-zahn via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Tap on wood. Does it sound hollow? If it does, it might be that termites are eating the wood of your walls from the inside out.
Termites may be small but they are very dangerous – by the time you notice signs of damage, it is almost always too late and your property may have already suffered severe damages.
Young termites (left) eat through wooden structures of your home. Adult termites form the swarm during mating season during April and May. Photo credits: gnilenkov and adforce1 via Flickr (Creative Commons)
In fact, termites are considered a greater threat to the wood structures of your homes, garden plants, and even your underground cable wires than fire, flood, or storm. The prevalent termite specie in Singapore is the subterranean type Coptotermes spp., which accounts for about 90 percent of specimens collected in infested areas.
But how can you tell if your home has already been invaded by these tiny critters? Here are some signs to guide you:
- Mud Tubes On the Wall
These little pests travel from their underground colonies to your home, which is their source of food, via these mud tubes that you see on your wall. Also, check out your house’s support piers and floor beams for any sign of these brown dirt tubes. - Rippled or sunken wood wall coverings
As termites slowly eat your wood from the inside out, you’ll see some kind of ripple or depressions on your wall coverings. - Small Holes In Wood Furniture or Walls
If you see lots of pin-sized holes and cracks in your walls, vents, windows and near roof sidings, then immediately suspect for drywood termites. Tap on that area to see if fecal pellets, a sign of current infestation, will fall out. - Hollow-Sounding Walls
Even if the wood surface of your walls appears undamaged and smooth, but when you tap on it and you hear a hollow sound, then it’s possible that termites are already having their merry way with your wooden walls.
Signs of termite infestation. Photo credit: azadam via Flickr (Creative Commons) - Wood Droppings / Frass
If you have been noticing some small wood-colored droppings on the floor, then these could be their feces or frass, which could indicate that your home has already been invaded by these nasty creatures.
Prevention is Key
It may be hard to detect termite infestation, but there are steps you can do to protect your home and prevent termites from entering your space.
- Remove any cellulose materials and debris in your downspouts, gutters and crawl spaces because these are their sources of food.
- Remove any dead plants and trees, wood debris near your house’s foundation
- Don’t use any wood mulch near your foundation
- Immediately repair any leaking water pipes, faucets, and air conditioning units
- Make sure your air vents and crawl spaces are free from any obstruction
- Don’t put flower planters against your house walls
- Schedule a regular or annual check up with your pest control company
The minute you suspect any termite infestation, you must immediately call a reliable and experienced pest control company in Singapore to prevent further damage to your home. Many companies even offer on-site inspection free of charge, so take advantage of it.
Also, to ensure that your chosen pest control company operates within standard quality and procedures, particularly on the correct amount of pesticides and chemicals, ask for their government certification or license to operate in Singapore.
Keep in mind that termites are a serious threat, and a big hazard to your home and your family. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
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