Termites aren’t out in the open as they like an environment that is dark, humid and protected. This makes it hard to detect termites but they do leave signs of their presence. Here are a few more common signs of termites through the damage that is seen.
- Papery or hollow sounding timber - When termites consume timber, they eat from the inside out leaving a thin veneer of timber or paint. When you knock or tap on an area that has termite damage, it will sound hollow or papery due to parts (or all) of the timber having been eaten away.
- Your vacuum goes through the skirting board! - or your finger presses through a door jam. These are some of the most common things we hear from customers as the first sign of termites. As termites have eaten away the structural integrity of the timber, such as a skirting board, door jam or architrave, bumps or pressure against them will easily cause damage.
- Tight fitting door or hard to open window - As termites devour timber, their excrement or ‘mud’ creates a protective environment that traps heat and moisture. This causes timber to swell, making it harder to open a window or close a door.
- Cracks in the cornice or door jams - As termites eat away the timber in your walls or door jams, it causes a loss in structural integrity and cracks form. Be careful jumping to conclusions, though; cracks could also be caused by movements in your home unrelated to termites.
- Termite mud - Termites construct ‘mud’ tunnels to provide themselves with a safe environment to travel to or protect their food sources. This mudding is often hard to see as it will be behind your gyprock or underground, but can sometimes be seen in your home's brick foundations or in architraves.