Termites damage more Australian homes each year than fire, storms, and floods combined, and most homeowners only find out once the damage is done. The signs of termites are subtle because these insects work inside timber and behind walls, out of sight. Knowing what to look for gives you the chance to act early, when treatment is simpler, and repair bills are smaller.

This guide covers the seven most common signs of termite infestation seen in Adelaide homes, what causes each one, and what to do next. Allstate Pest Control has carried out termite inspections and termite control across Adelaide since 1986, and the signs below are the ones our technicians find most often in local properties.

1. Mud tubes on walls, piers, or foundations

Mud tubes are the clearest of all termite infestation signs. Subterranean termites build these pencil-width tunnels from soil, saliva, and droppings so they can travel between their nest and their food source without drying out or being exposed to predators.

Check along your home’s foundations, brick piers, subfloor walls, fence lines, and around external pipes. In Adelaide homes, tubes often appear on subfloor piers and inside garages where the slab meets the wall. An empty tube doesn’t mean the termites have gone; they may simply be working elsewhere in the building.

2. Timber that sounds hollow or papery

Termites eat timber from the inside out, leaving only a thin skin of wood or paint on the surface. Tap your skirting boards, door frames, and architraves with the handle of a screwdriver. Healthy timber gives a solid sound; termite-damaged timber sounds hollow or papery.

Some of the most common first discoveries our technicians hear about are accidental: a vacuum cleaner going straight through a skirting board, or a finger pressing into a door jamb that looked completely normal.

5. Bubbling paint or cracked plaster

Termite activity behind a wall raises moisture levels in the surface material. Paint that bubbles, blisters, or peels for no obvious reason, and fine cracks appearing in plaster or cornices, can both point to termites working underneath. These signs are easy to mistake for water damage, which is exactly why they get missed. A licensed termite inspector can tell the difference using moisture meters and thermal imaging.

6. Sagging floors or crumbling skirting boards

As termites hollow out structural timbers, floors can develop soft spots, springiness, or visible sagging. Skirting boards may crumble at a touch, and you might notice fine soil or mud packed into joints and cracks where termites have sealed their workings. In subfloor homes, this damage often starts in bearers and joists well before anything shows inside the living areas.

7. Quiet clicking sounds or unexplained electrical faults

Soldier termites bang their heads against tunnel walls to signal danger to the colony, which produces a faint clicking or rustling inside walls, most noticeable at night. Termites are also drawn to the warmth of electrical fittings and will chew through cable insulation, so unexplained power failures or tripping circuits can point to hidden activity. Both signs are easy to dismiss, and both are worth checking.

A visual check by a homeowner catches some signs, but termites are experts at staying hidden. A professional termite inspection from Allstate Pest Control follows a detailed checklist covering the interior, roof void, subfloor, exterior, outbuildings, and grounds, including landscaping timbers, stumps, and fence lines.

Our licensed technicians use moisture meters, thermal imaging, and borescope technology to check inside wall cavities and subfloor spaces without cutting into your home. Reports are prepared in line with AS 4349.3-2010, the Australian Standard for timber pest inspections, and include photos, findings, and a clear proposal if termite control is needed.

CSIRO research supports a termite inspection at least once a year for Australian homes, with more frequent checks for higher-risk properties, such as those near bushland, with previous termite history, or with timber in ground contact.

If any of the seven signs above look familiar, here’s the short version of the right response:

1. Don’t disturb the termites or spray anything on them
2. Photograph what you’ve found from a distance
3. Book a termite inspection promptly, since colonies keep feeding while you wait
4. Keep a record of the inspection report for future reference and resale

Termites never stop on their own. Early detection is the single biggest factor in how much a termite problem ends up costing you.

Adelaide’s environment creates near-ideal conditions for termite activity throughout the year. A combination of climate, soil type, and building stock puts many local properties at higher risk than homeowners realise.

Climate and moisture patterns: Adelaide experiences warm, dry summers followed by cooler, wetter winters. The shift into autumn brings rising soil moisture, which supports termite movement and colony expansion. Damp soil makes it easier for termites to construct tunnels and reach new food sources.

Clay-heavy soils: Much of metropolitan Adelaide sits on reactive clay soils that expand and contract with seasonal moisture changes. This movement creates cracks and gaps in and around the foundation’s entry points that termites readily exploit.

Established housing stock: Suburbs like Norwood, Unley, Prospect, Burnside, and Mitcham are home to many older timber-framed properties. Subfloor construction styles common in pre-1980s homes provide hidden access points and food sources that are difficult to inspect without professional equipment.

Gardens and vegetation: Mature trees, garden beds, and timber landscaping features close to the home create both habitat and direct pathways for termite colonies to reach structural timber.

The species most responsible for structural damage in South Australia is Coptotermes acinaciformis, a highly destructive subterranean termite that builds colonies in root systems and subfloor timbers. Autumn is when these colonies are establishing their winter foraging routes, making early detection and intervention especially valuable.

Even as termites move deeper in autumn, there are still warning signs that Adelaide homeowners can watch for:

Mud tubes: Thin, pencil-width tunnels made from soil, saliva, and faecal matter. Found along foundations, subfloor stumps, wall cavities, and external brickwork. These are one of the clearest indicators of active termite presence.

Hollow-sounding timber: Tap skirting boards, door frames, and flooring. A hollow or papery sound suggests termites have consumed the interior while leaving a thin outer surface intact.

Tight or sticking doors and windows: As termites damage structural timber, the subtle warping can cause doors and windows to fit poorly in their frames.

Blistering or bubbling paint: A sign that moisture from termite activity or frass (termite excrement) has built up beneath a painted surface.

Discarded wings: Swarmers shed their wings after finding a nesting site. Small piles of wings near window sills, door frames, or light sources indicate recent swarming activity nearby.

The challenge with these signs in autumn is that many are subtle and easy to overlook, particularly if termites are active in areas that aren’t regularly accessed, such as subfloors, roof voids, and internal wall cavities. This is precisely why professional inspection is essential.

When termite activity is identified, or as a proactive step to reduce the chance of termite damage, autumn is an excellent time to apply long-term treatment solutions.

Chemical Soil Barriers

A continuous chemical zone is applied around and beneath your home’s perimeter, creating a treated area that termites cannot cross undetected. Autumn applications are particularly effective because stable soil moisture allows for even distribution of the treatment zone, improving coverage and longevity.

Termite Baiting and Monitoring Systems

Bait stations are strategically installed around the property and monitored at regular intervals. Termites are attracted to the bait, consume it, and carry it back to the colony, disrupting activity at the source over time. Establishing bait stations in autumn means colonies are actively monitored as they head into their most aggressive foraging period in spring and summer.

Direct Colony Treatment

Where active termite presence is confirmed, targeted treatment can be applied directly to affected areas. Foam and dust treatments reach into wall cavities and subfloor spaces to efficiently address activity. Early detection typically means a more contained infestation and a more straightforward, cost-effective treatment response.

Allstate Pest will assess your property and tailor the most appropriate treatment approach based on construction type, risk level, and any existing termite activity found during inspection.

Australian Standard (AS 3660.2) advises that most homes have a professional termite inspection at least once every 12 months. Properties in high-risk areas, those surrounded by established trees, with a history of termites, or with older subfloor construction may benefit from inspections every six months.

Autumn is the ideal time to schedule your annual inspection. The conditions are favourable, the timing puts you ahead of peak activity, and any issues identified can be treated before they escalate.

If your property hasn’t been inspected in the past 12 months, or has never had a professional termite assessment, booking one this autumn should be a priority. The cost of an inspection is minimal compared to the expense of repairing structural termite damage, which can run into tens of thousands of dollars.