How to Find Termite Damage
- 1). Inspect your home's exterior, paying special attention to the foundation, windows, doors, porches or patios. Specifically, look for actual swarms of flying termites. If you see any termites emerging from these areas on your house, there's a good likelihood that your home has been infested and damaged by termites. Also, look for mud tubes on the exterior walls of your foundation or siding. Termites use these tubes to travel from one place to another. If you find mud tubes, your house has been compromised and likely damaged by termites.
- 2). Use a screwdriver to probe the wooden frames of your windows and doors, as well as the wooden structure of your porch. If the wood is soft and easily punctured by the screwdriver, then your home has likely been damaged by termites.
- 3). Move inside your home and check the basement and floor joists for mud tubes. If you see any tubes, break them open with a screwdriver to see if there are any active termites. While looking for tubes, check the foundation for cracks, as termites can use these openings to gain access to your house. While the damage may not be visible, the appearance of mud tubes inside your house means that termites are, or have been, eating away at the structure.
- 4). Move upstairs and check the walls of your house. You'll want to look for swarms, shed wings, mud tubes and small mud pinholes on the walls. Also, if your walls are peeling or cracked or show any other symptoms of moisture, the possibility of a termite infestation exists. If you notice any of these symptoms, then the structure behind the walls has likely been damaged by termites and you'll need to contact a professional.
- 5). Use the handle of your screwdriver to tap on any exposed wooden structures inside or outside your house. When tapping, listen closely. If the wood sounds hollow, then termites have likely begun to devour the insides of the beam or board. You'll also want to note if the wood seems soft or brittle when tapping. Again, this is a sign that termites have weakened the structure.
- 6). Check for a thin, gray-brown film on any wooden structure or surface outside or inside your house. This residue is a sign that termites are in the area and feeding. It also means your house has been damaged to some extent by termites.
