How To Tell If Your Frisco Property Has A Termite Problem

In our Frisco service area, we have two types of termites that damage homes. They are drywood termites and subterranean termites. Subterranean termites are, by far, the most destructive of the two. One reason they're more destructive is that they're stealthier than drywood termites. So let's start with how to detect drywood termites, since they're the easiest of the two.

Drywood Termite Detection

If you have drywood termites inside your home, you're likely to know it. Here are a few ways drywood termites lack the sneakiness to do significant damage to your home.

Waste — These termites create tiny kickout holes and push their frass out on floors and sills. Frass is a material that is made up mostly of drywood termite feces. These tiny pellets are about 1mm in length and have the coloration of the wood the termites are feeding on.

Damage — You may start to notice changes in the wood of your home. Tiny holes or deterioration may appear. You might see honeycomb dents in your baseboards or other hardwood structures. Pay close attention to window and door frames. They are common targets for drywood termites.

Workers — You could catch drywood termite workers in areas that are dark, or at night when you turn a light on. They look like tiny, pale-colored ants. They may even gross you out a little bit because they can look like maggots from a distance. You'll find them in large numbers near hardwood.

Swarmers — When a nest matures, it begins to produce male and female winged reproductives. We call these "swarmers" due to the fact that they gather together into a swarm during the mating process. If you notice lots of tiny, white-winged insects in your home, you have a termite infestation. Hopefully, it is a drywood termite infestation.