Know what to look for, how urgent it is, and what to do next. Early detection can save thousands in treatment and repair costs.
| Sign | Severity |
|---|---|
| Mud Tubes on Foundation | High |
| Hollow-Sounding Wood | High |
| Swarmers or Discarded Wings | High |
| Frass (Wood-Colored Pellets) | Medium |
| Blistered or Bubbling Paint | Medium |
| Damaged or Sagging Structural Wood | Critical |
| Clicking Sounds in Walls | Medium |
| Tight-Fitting Doors and Windows | Medium-High |
Pencil-width tubes made of soil and saliva running up foundation walls, pipes, or other structures. Termites build these to travel between soil and wood while maintaining humidity. Break one open: if you see live, white insects inside, the infestation is active.
What To Do
Call a licensed inspector immediately. Do not disturb the tubes extensively, as this can cause termites to reroute and make the full extent harder to assess.
Cost Implication
Active infestation. Budget $500-$2,500 for liquid barrier treatment.
Termites eat wood from the inside out, leaving a thin veneer on the surface. Tap structural wood (door frames, baseboards, floor joists) with a screwdriver handle. If it sounds hollow or papery, termites may have consumed the interior. Press a screwdriver into the wood: if it penetrates easily, the damage is significant.
What To Do
Get a professional inspection to determine the extent of internal damage. Hollow-sounding wood often means the infestation has been active for months or years.
Cost Implication
Moderate to severe infestation. Treatment plus potential repair: $1,000-$10,000.
Reproductive termites (swarmers) emerge from mature colonies to start new ones, usually in spring after rain. They look like small, dark-bodied insects with two pairs of equal-length wings. After landing, they shed their wings. You may find piles of translucent wings near windows, doors, or light sources.
What To Do
Swarmers indicate a mature colony nearby (within 100-300 feet). This could be inside your home or in the yard. Get an inspection within a week.
Cost Implication
May indicate an established colony. Treatment: $500-$3,000 depending on location.
Drywood termites push their fecal pellets out of small holes in the wood. Frass looks like tiny, six-sided pellets about the size of a grain of sand, often forming small piles below infested wood. The color matches the wood being consumed: light tan, dark brown, or reddish.
What To Do
Frass confirms drywood termites specifically. Have an inspector determine whether the infestation is localized (spot treatment) or widespread (fumigation may be needed).
Cost Implication
Drywood treatment: $200-$800 for spot treatment, $2,000-$8,000 for fumigation.
Subterranean termites traveling beneath flooring or behind walls can cause paint to blister, bubble, or appear water-damaged. The moisture termites introduce into the wood causes the paint or finish to separate. Often mistaken for water damage.
What To Do
Check for water leaks first. If there is no plumbing issue, have a termite inspector check behind the affected area.
Cost Implication
Could be early or advanced. Treatment: $500-$2,500. Repair depends on extent.
Visible structural damage: sagging floors, buckling ceilings, warped door or window frames. This indicates long-term, severe infestation where termites have compromised load-bearing elements. The internal wood structure has been significantly consumed.
What To Do
This is urgent. Get an inspection and a structural engineer assessment immediately. Do not delay treatment.
Cost Implication
Severe damage. Treatment: $1,500-$8,000. Structural repair: $5,000-$35,000+.
Soldier termites bang their heads against the wood or shake their bodies to signal danger to the colony. In a quiet room, you may hear faint clicking or rustling sounds coming from inside walls. Worker termites are also noisy eaters, producing a faint crunching sound.
What To Do
Press your ear against the wall in different locations. If the sound is consistent, call an inspector. Recording the sound on your phone can help the inspector identify the source.
Cost Implication
Active colony present. Treatment: $500-$2,500.
As termites consume wood in door frames and window frames, the structural shape changes. Doors and windows may become difficult to open or close. The frames may feel soft or spongy. Often attributed to humidity or settling, but if it is sudden and localized, termites are a likely cause.
What To Do
Check the frame wood for other signs (hollow sound, visible damage). If multiple doors or windows are affected, the infestation may be widespread.
Cost Implication
Frame damage present. Treatment: $500-$3,000. Frame repair: $200-$2,000.
| Feature | Termites | Carpenter Ants |
|---|---|---|
| Body shape | Straight, thick waist | Pinched, narrow waist |
| Antennae | Straight, bead-like | Elbowed, bent |
| Wings (swarmers) | Two pairs, equal length | Two pairs, front pair longer |
| Debris | Frass (tiny pellets) or mud tubes | Sawdust-like shavings (coarser) |
| Wood damage | Eat wood, leaving layered galleries | Hollow out wood for nesting (do not eat it) |