Termites can literally eat your home alive. The trick is to get rid of them before they get rid of you. Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions is a locally managed Hawaiian pest control company serving Pearl City and beyond.

A termite infestation is extremely difficult to detect. The little bugs are smart and industrious. They have mastered the art of eating vast quantities of wood, and they do it right under your nose. By the time you discover the termites, your house may have serious structural damage.

Are Termites Eating You Out of House and Home? | Signs That Termites May Be Afoot

Unfortunately, telltale signs of a termite invasion usually evade detection until the situation has become dire. These invasive insects can mount a highly effective covert attack to take down your dwelling without you being any the wiser.

Indoor Swarming

Termite invasions and takeovers are not hostile. They are complex operations that require years of work to execute. When swarms appear inside, it means that an extensive and well-established termite colony is behind it, and you are providing that colony with food and shelter.

You can douse the swarmers with bug spray, but it won’t help. Swarmers emerging from a building are already slated for an early death. However, the colony will continue to flourish regardless.

Swarms outdoors near your home’s foundation may or may not indicate a problem. Calling in a termite services professional is the best way to find out.

Property Damage Discovered During a Home Improvement

Termite colonies are frequently discovered during home renovations or remodels or while structural repairs are underway. Wallpaper can provide deep cover for termite colonies. The bugs construct tiny tunnels and pinhole exits through which they travel undetected behind the paint while feeding on wood panels beneath the surface of the walls. Termites can carry out their clandestine activities using just a thin coat of paint or wallpaper for cover. This can continue for years. It will only stop when there’s nothing left to eat.

Here are some indications that termites may be living in your walls:

Weird surface textures appearing on painted or wallpapered surfaces
Bubbling paint
Discolored or peeling wallpaper
Narrow winding lines

Windows and Doors That Stick

Termites like window and door frames because the wood is so accessible. As the insects eat their way through it, it can warp. That, in turn, can make it hard to open windows and doors. These insatiable insects can compromise your home’s structural integrity in other ways, too. They can turn your home into dust and leave your property with sunken floors, saggy ceilings, and crumbly baseboards.

Infestations usually go unnoticed until the colony has expanded enough to cause clearly visible damage or produce swarmers.

Pellet Accumulation

Small collections of uniform, six-sided pellets on a countertop or the floor are fecal material left by the bugs. If you have pellets, you have termites.

Tunnels of Mud and Dirt

Mud shelter tubes are a common indication of termites. These dirt tunnels can be clearly visible on the outer or inner foundation walls, support piers and anywhere else where the bugs are active. Getting rid of the mud tubes serves no purpose. The insects will simply find another way to get inside. They can easily slip through the smallest of cracks.
Annual termite inspections performed by a licensed termite control professional are the best medicine for termite prevention. Call Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions to learn more.