Signs of Termites in Drywall, Ceiling, Floor and Bathroom
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Termites silently destroy your home’s structure while remaining undetected during initial stages. Hollow or damaged wood and mud tubes along walls or baseboards indicate termite presence in walls since termites create these structures to move around. Tiny holes in drywall and crumbling wood trim together with faint clicking noises from within walls indicate termite wood consumption. Paint that looks bubbled or uneven might result from moisture buildup created by termites. Early detection of termite signs enables damage prevention which makes immediate inspection scheduling necessary when you first suspect an issue.
When there are signs of termites in your home or walls, it can cause severe issues that must be handled immediately.
Though they are tiny insects that can come in and set up a complete workstation without you knowing, they can’t be ignored once you find them. The longer they are in your home, the quicker they will spread to other areas.
The termites in your walls may be workers, soldiers, or part of the reproductive members called the alates. An ironic fact about these insects is they don’t have any eyes, so their blind status makes them extra fearful of predators, which is why they like to stay underground. A termite colony doesn’t grow overnight like roaches or ants.
Another factor that can make them so hard to discover is their size. Just because you see one termite wandering through your basement doesn’t mean you have an infestation, as they can come in on the mulch and other wood around your home. However, it’s better to be cautious and not ignore it.
The basement is a hangout for termites and provides access to other areas they love to be in such as drywall, bathrooms, ceilings, and your floors. Anywhere there’s wood or something with cellulose that can provide nourishment, they can invade and destroy the structural integrity of that location.
Signs of Termites in Your Drywall
It doesn’t matter where the termites set up shop in your home; the trail of destruction they leave behind is costly. Many homeowners face problems with termites getting into the drywall. The damage is done slowly and unless you have x-ray vision, you will not be able to see the signs of termites in there.
The type of termites that are more likely to find their way into your walls are drywood termites because they do not rely on moisture to make the wood rot. The subterranean termites are the type that need and depend on moisture and they will enter a basement or crawlspace.
Remember, drywall is held by a frame that contains 2×4 or 2×6 frame boards, providing them with ample nourishment. Here are some signs that you may have termites in your drywall.
Air Bubbles or Blistering
One of the first signs of termites you’ll notice is blistering. Have you ever got a pizza and the air in the dough made raised areas or bubbles? The same thing happens to your drywall when termites are behind the scenes changing the material with moisture from feeding.
Termites build mud tubes to travel back and forth between your home and their colony. While the colony is underground, they don’t want to take any chances of being spotted. These mud tubes serve as a safety net, a tunnel system that helps them get to and from because they’re blind.
When you see this blistering effect in the walls, the mud tubes are likely very close to the surface of your drywall. The mud is made from excrement and saliva, and it causes moisture to build up in the sheetrock. The drywall will expand from the air and moisture combination, creating a blister.
Pin Dot Holes
Pin holes are standard in drywall if the drywall compound isn’t sanded correctly. So, you must know what you’re looking for, as an infestation can be confused for finishing errors. These holes created by termites are often accompanied by mud tubes.
If you notice any mud tubes on your walls, you should look directly below them to see if any spots are present. Ironically, termites don’t like air to get into their travel network, so you might see some mud patches where they’ve tried to cover over these holes. During an active infestation, the termites come in and out of these holes, so you might see them at work if you observe them at the right time.
Windows and Door Issues
It’s not uncommon for the windows and doors in your home to be tight or impossible to open. You can’t blame all these issues on signs of termites, as some of them come with age and the way the house settles. Termites do not shy away from windows and can be a source of the problem if they have invaded the drywall around that area.
If mud tubes are found in a termite infestation around doors and windows, it can cause them to warp due to the surrounding moisture. It would have to be a serious problem to do this kind of damage, which means the problem has been lingering for quite some time.
Headbanging Noises
You probably don’t associate termites when you hear the word headbanging, but it’s used to describe the noise they make when they feel threatened. They want to warn the others in their colony when they perceive any danger, so they bang their heads. While these insects are blind, they also don’t hear well either. Rather, they can feel the vibrations coming from the actions of many termites banging their heads signaling a warning.
Peeling Paint
If blistering paint wasn’t enough, the moisture caused by a significant presence of termites could also cause the paint to peel. It’s not uncommon for an extensive infestation to come with overcrowding, and the more termites trying to make their way through the tubing system, the more moisture it will cause. Any peeling paint is a sign of termites and should be investigated.
Sunken Trails
One common misconception among termites is that they eat the wood, but what they actually want are the cellulose or fibrous materials comprised within it. The trails are caused by their eating habits, as they eat the entire wooden framing up to the paint. Since there’s nothing structurally behind them to hold the paint, the surface will sag.
They eat the outer covering of the dry wood, but usually without destroying the paint. Because of this, termites leave trails that go from the mud tubes to where they eat, causing some hollow areas under the paint.
Hollow Sounds
If you knock on your wall, it will make a distinct sound that shows it’s secure and strong. However, tapping on an area where termites have been feeding will create a hollow sound quite different from the sounds of a traditional wall.
You’ll notice an echo or empty sound that shows that something has been eating your walls. Sometimes tapping on these areas will make the wall start crumbling with the slightest contact. This signals a significant issue of structural damage that urgently needs to be addressed.
Discarded Wings
Baseboards are mostly made of wood, and even these small boards aren’t off-limits for a hungry termite. Any cracks or places where they can gain entry will allow them to feed.
Getting in under the baseboards will let them get into the drywall and the structure behind it. Since they work in the baseboard area, you will likely see signs of termites by their discarded wings during the mating season.
Signs of Termites in the Ceiling
Most people don’t usually look at the ceiling, as it’s not in their field of vision. So, it’s only natural that you could miss so much that’s happening right above you. Since termites are quiet, there’s no reason to suspect them in the ceilings. However, it would help if you remembered that your ceiling has lots of lumber and can be a prime spot for the drywall termites.
One issue with termites in the ceiling is they can easily be mistaken for ants or other small bugs. Another significant factor that plays into this is that the swarming season usually coincides with the active ant season. So, March–June and September–October, you might overlook a severe problem, thinking it’s something minor. Here are some signs that you’ve got termites in the ceiling of your home.
Termite Tubes
The sight of mud tubes along your ceiling is a sign of a severe termite infestation. You will often notice that the tubes are the same color as the soil where you live, which makes them hard to ignore on a white ceiling.
The tubes are tiny and about the same width as a pencil. The interconnecting pipes are run in a straight line to help them travel the most efficient route. This is a sure sign of termites!
Droppings
If you’re ever in your attic, you need to pay special attention to droppings collecting on the floor. The official term is frass, which is excrement from termites. These tiny pellets are proof positive you have a severe issue.
Holes in the Ceiling
Small holes in various places throughout your ceiling are always cause for alarm. Termites are notorious for leaving these holes where they enter and exit. If you notice the number of these holes increasing, it is worth looking into to see if they mean you’ve found signs of termites.
Discoloration
Stains in ceilings normally occur from water leaks or excessive moisture. Some stains and bubbling may occur with a termite infestation. Anything out of the ordinary in color or appearance is something that you need to investigate.
Sagging
A sagging ceiling means something is amiss. If there’s buckling, the entire ceiling can collapse without warning. You can have two issues, either a water leak or a termite problem, and both require immediate attention.
Discarded Wings in Spider Webs
Spider webs are meant to trap things so that the spider can feed. While you won’t usually catch a termite in them because they travel on the ground, you might catch some of their wings during nuptial flights. The nuptial flights are the only time termites come out of hiding to mate. Once the male mates, he dies. So, it’s only natural that you might catch a few of their discarded wings or even a male stuck in the web.
Signs of Termites in the Bathroom
Bathrooms tend to be a hub for moisture and since subterranean termites love moisture they could be lurking nearby. Leaky pipes and not enough ventilation contribute to these issues to make it a welcoming environment for termites. Putting these issues off can invite many unwanted guests.
Termites can live and feed in an area with high moisture levels, causing decay. How do you know termites have invaded your bathroom? Here are a few signs of termites for you to observe.
- Damaged tiles that are loose and no longer adhering
- Ceiling sagging
- Stains or discoloration on the ceiling
- Hollowed-out walls
- Holes in the drywall or wallboard
- Doors or windows that won’t open or are difficult or stuck
Learn If Your Problem Is Old or New
Ironically, property damage from termites can cost an astronomical amount of money. In fact, a study by the CDC found that the damage caused by these insects can be more catastrophic than windstorms or house fires. Considering it on that level, it’s easy to see why this is such a cause for alarm.
If you find tubes in your home, there’s a way that you can tell if the tube is new or older. New tunnels are typically damp to the touch and older tunnels will crumble when touched. Regardless of new or old tunnels, an inspection with a pest control professional will go a long way in assessing if termites are causing immediate damage to your home.
