Knowing how to tell if your home has termites can save you thousands of dollars in repairs. These pests cause over $5 billion in property damage each year in the United States. The worst part? Most homeowners don’t notice them until the damage is already done.
Termites work quietly behind your walls, under your floors, and inside your foundation. They eat wood 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. By the time you see obvious signs, they may have been there for years. That’s why many homeowners call a Riverside pest control company only after discovering serious damage.
This guide will show you exactly what to look for so you can catch termites early.
Why Termites Are Hard to Spot
Termites hide. Unlike ants or roaches that wander through your kitchen, termites stay out of sight. They live inside the wood they eat or in underground colonies beneath your home.
You won’t see them crawling around. You have to look for the clues they leave behind.
7 Warning Signs Your Home Has Termites
1. Mud Tubes on Your Foundation
Subterranean termites build mud tubes to travel between their colony and your home. These tubes look like thin veins of dried dirt running up your foundation walls.
Check these areas for mud tubes:
- Along your foundation inside and outside
- On basement walls
- Around pipes that enter your home
- In crawl spaces
- On concrete blocks or piers
The tubes are about the width of a pencil. If you find one, break it open. Active tubes will have small white termites inside.
2. Hollow-Sounding Wood
Termites eat wood from the inside out. The surface may look fine, but the inside is gone.
Tap on wooden beams, door frames, and baseboards with a screwdriver handle. Solid wood sounds solid. Damaged wood sounds hollow or papery.
Pay extra attention to:
- Wood near the ground
- Door frames and window sills
- Wooden stairs
- Support beams in basements and crawl spaces
3. Bubbling or Peeling Paint
When termites damage wood near the surface, moisture builds up. This causes paint to bubble, peel, or look uneven.
Many homeowners think they have water damage. Sometimes they do. But if you see bubbling paint with no obvious water source, termites could be the cause.
4. Frass (Termite Droppings)
Drywood termites push their droppings out of tiny holes in the wood. These droppings look like small piles of sawdust or coffee grounds.
You might find frass:
- On windowsills
- Along baseboards
- Under wooden furniture
- Near door frames
The pellets are tiny, oval-shaped, and have ridges on the sides. If you keep sweeping them up and they come back, you likely have an active infestation.
5. Swarmers or Discarded Wings
Once a year, termite colonies release swarmers. These winged termites fly out to start new colonies. You might see them near windows or lights since they attract to brightness.
After swarming, they shed their wings. Finding small piles of wings near windows, doors, or in spider webs is a major red flag.
Swarmers look similar to flying ants. Here’s how to tell if your home has termites versus ants:
- Termite wings are all the same size; ant wings have two different sizes
- Termites have straight antennae; ants have bent antennae
- Termites have thick waists; ants have pinched waists
6. Doors and Windows That Stick
Termite damage warps wood. When they eat through door frames and window frames, the wood shifts. Doors and windows start sticking or won’t close properly.
Of course, humidity causes this too. But if your doors suddenly stick during dry weather, termites might be the reason.
7. Sagging Floors or Ceilings
Severe infestations weaken structural wood. Floors may feel bouncy or spongy when you walk on them. Ceilings might sag or show visible damage.
This level of damage means termites have been active for a long time. If you notice structural changes, get an inspection right away.
How to Check Your Home for Termites
You can do a basic inspection yourself. Set aside an hour and grab a flashlight and a screwdriver.
Start outside:
- Walk around your foundation and look for mud tubes
- Check where wood meets soil
- Look at fence posts, deck supports, and wood piles near the house
- Inspect any wood siding close to the ground
Then move inside:
- Check basement walls and floor joists
- Tap on wooden beams and supports
- Look behind stored boxes and clutter
- Inspect crawl spaces if you can access them safely
- Check window sills and door frames
Look in the attic:
- Check exposed wood for damage or frass
- Look at the underside of the roof
- Inspect where the roof meets the walls
What to Do If You Find Signs of Termites
Don’t panic, but don’t wait either. Termites cause more damage every day they stay in your home.
Here’s what to do next:
- Document what you found – Take photos of any damage, mud tubes, or frass
- Don’t disturb the area – Breaking up mud tubes or spraying chemicals can scatter the colony and make treatment harder
- Call a professional – A professional can confirm the infestation and recommend treatment options
- Get multiple quotes – Treatment costs vary, so compare prices from licensed companies
Can You Treat Termites Yourself?
Store-bought sprays and baits rarely solve the problem. Termite colonies can have hundreds of thousands of members. Killing the ones you see doesn’t stop the rest.
Professional treatments reach the entire colony. Options include:
- Liquid treatments – Create a barrier around your home
- Bait systems – Termites carry poison back to the colony
- Fumigation – Tents your home and eliminates all termites (for severe drywood infestations)
The right treatment depends on the termite species and how bad the infestation is.
How to Prevent Termites in the Future
After treatment, take steps to make your home less attractive to termites:
- Keep wood mulch away from your foundation
- Fix leaky pipes and faucets (termites love moisture)
- Store firewood at least 20 feet from your house
- Make sure gutters drain away from your foundation
- Remove dead trees and stumps from your yard
- Keep crawl spaces dry and well-ventilated
- Schedule annual termite inspections
- Keep trees trimmed away from your roof and siding to reduce moisture and access points
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Learning how to tell if your home has termites is the first step. Acting quickly is the second.
Termites won’t go away on their own. Every day you wait, they eat more of your home. Catching them early means simpler treatment and less repair work.
If you spotted any warning signs during your inspection, schedule a professional evaluation now. A trained inspector can confirm the problem and help you protect your home before the damage spreads.
