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Sign 1. Hard to open doors and windows
When you have a termite outbreak, the amount of termite activity increases inside window frames, doors and door frames, which leads increased moisture and swelling.
Sign 2. Clicking in your walls
A heavy termite infestation or soldier termites warning of danger can result in clicking sounds coming from your walls as they chew nonstop through the wood.
Sign 3. Termite wings
Flying termites or swarmers lose their wings once they have mated and leave piles of wings scattered on your floor.
Sign 4. Hollow sounding timber
If you knock your walls and hear a hollow, echoing sound, this may indicate that termites have tunnelled through the insulation to eat away the wood.
Sign 5. Mud tubes (Subterranean termites)
Termites build tunnels encased with a sturdy mixture of dirt, wood, debris, saliva and droppings to protect them when they forage for food away from their underground nests.
Sign 6. Sawdust-like droppings (Drywood termites)
If you’re noticing a regular accumulation of round piles of a fine, dark powdery substance on your floors, it could well be a sign of a termite problem.
Sign 7. Tiny holes in wood
A sign of a serious outbreak, termite holes are an entry and exit point for termites tunnelling through wood, walls and mud.
Sign 8. Unexplainable damage to the floor, walls or ceilings
You may notice cracks and splinters in your walls and skirting boards and a bubbling, or honeycomb-like texture in the paint. Pay attention to cracks, blisters, sagging and warping of laminated floors, ceiling beams and skirting boards.
Sign 9. Damage to trees and outdoor wooden structures
Several termite species can be found living in nests above the ground in and around trees and tree stumps as well as landscaping sleepers, with tunnelling causing major structural issues.
How to check for termites before it’s too late
At Allstate, we understand the importance of detecting and treating a termite outbreak as soon as possible. As the early signs of termites can be hard to spot, the best way to know for sure if they’re a cause for concern is to have a termite inspection by a licensed professional.
For many people who have experienced a termite outbreak, any obvious indication of a problem simply came far too late. Unfortunately, it’s all too common to find termites have already caused significant and costly damage to homes and businesses before being detected. With one in five Adelaide homes thought to have experienced termite attacks , it’s useful to know what to look out for in case your home is at risk.
If you’re concerned about having termites, here’s our top 9 tips on potential termite problems to look out for around your home.
Sign 1. Hard to open doors and windows
If you’re noticing that your windows and doors have become tight-fitting and difficult to open, this could be the work of termites.
When you have an outbreak, the amount of termite activity increases inside window frames, doors and door frames. This leads to more heat and moisture being produced. While warmth and humidity are ideal conditions for termite survival, this can eventually cause major problems in your home or business.
Depending on where the moisture accumulates, you may find parts of your doors and windows absorb the moisture more than others, causing them to swell in certain areas.
Sometimes, termites may leave behind dried mud inside door and window joints which creates more friction when you’re trying to open the doors and windows.
Don’t leave your annual termite inspection too late!
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Sign 2. Clicking in your walls
Though they are generally quiet, a heavy termite infestation can result in constant clicking sounds coming from your walls as they chew nonstop through the wood.
In some cases, the clicking is deliberately caused by soldier termites knocking their heads and tapping their mandibles against wood to warn the colony of imminent danger.
You may notice your pets are more sensitive to subtle sounds within the walls, so pay attention to any changes to their behaviour.
Sign 3. Termite wings
During spring and summer, every 3 to 5 years, you will find that winged termites or swarmers pair off and fly away to expand the termite colony. They’ll start a new colony elsewhere and usually choose to nest in woodpiles and tree stumps in your yard, so we recommend removing these if possible.
Once they have mated, swarmers lose their wings. So if you notice piles of scattered wings or flying insects particularly around windows, windowsills and doors, you may have a termite outbreak on your hands.
Not to be confused with flying ants which are smaller and darker coloured, you’ll tend to see flying termites swarming more often at night.
Sign 4. Hollow sounding timber
If you knock your walls and hear a hollow, echoing sound, this may indicate that termites have tunnelled through the insulation to eat away the wood.
A classic sign of serious termite destruction, continuous tunnelling within the walls and timber structures of your home can result in a hollow, echoing sound when you knock on it. Pay particular attention to skirting boards as these make the most obvious hollow sounds during a severe infestation.
If you’re noticing any hollow sounds when knocking on the walls of your home, we recommend contacting Allstate to arrange an urgent termite inspection.
Worried about termites? Speak to an expert today
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Sign 5. Mud tubes (Subterranean termites)
Termites build tunnels encased with a sturdy mixture of dirt, wood, debris, saliva and droppings to protect them when they forage for food away from their underground nests.
We recommend keeping the perimeter of your house clear of moist soil and dirt to discourage mud tube formation.
When subterranean termites leave their nest underground to forage for food, they will build mud tubes to travel safely between their food source and nest. These tubes also assist with retaining moisture and warmth, which are ideal survival conditions for termites.
While they can be seen inside and outside your home in different formations, mud tubes are commonly noticed around entry points and the house foundation.
Sign 6. Sawdust-like droppings (Drywood termites)
If you’re noticing a regular accumulation of a fine, dark powdery substance on your floors, it could well be a sign of a termite problem, particularly drywood termites.
Also known as frass, termites often create small openings in wood to push out their waste as they continue tunnelling through.
Frass can appear in cone shaped piles or circular patterns on the surface of termite-affected wooden structures.
Sign 7. Tiny holes in wood
With a diameter that is less than 1/8 inches, termite holes are generally left behind by drywood termites and can be hard to spot.
A sign of a serious outbreak, termite holes are an entry and exit point for termites tunnelling through wood, walls and mud. Once created, they are usually quickly sealed off by the remains of undigested wood and droppings.
Usually formed just before mating season, these holes are an important way for termite swarmers to exit the colony to reproduce and start a new colony elsewhere.
Don’t put off your termite inspection. Call us now
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Sign 8. Unexplainable damage to the floor, walls or ceiling
Termites feed off the cellulose fibres within wood, making tunnels through the insides while leaving the outer shell intact for protection.
They are particularly drawn to timber that holds moisture – for example, damp timber from water damage or underneath floors.
Over time, this causes the wood to crumble away slowly from the inside and lose its structural integrity. You may find that this causes the following problems around your home:
- Cracks and splinters in your walls and skirting boards
- A bubbling, or honeycomb-like texture in the paint or water-stained appearance
- Cracking, blistering, sagging and warping of laminated floors, ceiling beams and skirting boards
Sign 9. Damage to trees and outdoor wooden structures
Several termite species can be found living in nests above the ground in and around trees and tree stumps as well as landscaping sleepers.
Even if there are no visible signs of damage on the outside of a tree, the insides could be slowly getting destroyed. Over time, the tree will become increasingly rotten.
Once the tree has been damaged significantly, you may find the branches weaken and fall off, causing damage to your home and endangering people.
If you notice mud tubes appearing on tree bark, you can check how fragile your tree has become.
For a reliable and experienced termite inspection service,
contact us today
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How to check for termites before it’s too late
At Allstate, we understand the importance of detecting and treating a termite outbreak as soon as possible.
As the early signs of termites can be hard to spot, the best way to know for sure if they’re a cause for concern is to have a termite inspection. You can learn more about Allstate’s professional termite inspections here .
Depending on your level of risk, government guidelines recommend a termite inspection for every home at least once a year.
Fortunately, our highly trained termite inspection team is fully equipped with all the latest technology to conduct comprehensive termite assessments in compliance with Australian standards. We have specialised equipment to detect even the most subtle signs of an outbreak.
Since 1986, we have carried out and treated termite outbreaks in residential, commercial and industrial settings all around Adelaide. All our termite services are covered by extensive warranties and backed by insurance, so there’s no reason to delay an inspection. It could potentially save you thousands of dollars in repairs that aren’t covered by insurance, as well as stress and disruption.
Contact Allstate today to speak to our friendly team about staying ahead of termites .