Termites in Your Home? 5 Warning Signs to Watch For

Termites don’t take days off. They can chew through wood 24/7, quietly compromising floors, walls, and structural supports before you notice a thing.

1. Swarmers or discarded wings In warmer seasons, you may spot winged termites (swarmers) near windows, doors, or patios, or find tiny piles of discarded wings along sills and thresholds. This is often one of the first visible clues that a colony is nearby.
2. Mud tubes along the foundation (or indoors) Subterranean termites build mud tubes, which are protective tunnels that help them travel while retaining moisture. Check along the foundation, crawl spaces, and basement walls. In some cases, tubes can even appear inside, including hanging down from ceilings.
3. Wood that sounds hollow, looks blistered, or breaks easily Because termites often feed from the inside out, damaged wood may sound hollow when tapped. You might also notice blistered or warped areas where the surface looks intact, but the inside has been eaten away.
4. Bubbling or uneven paint (plus swollen floors or ceilings) Paint that bubbles or looks uneven can signal trapped moisture, and moisture problems often go hand in hand with termite activity. Also watch for swollen floors or ceilings, or soft, damp-feeling drywall.
5. Frass (termite droppings that look like pellets)

Some termites leave behind small, wood-colored droppings that can look like tiny pellets. If you see this, it’s time to have it checked out.

If you notice any of these signs, don’t wait. Abell recommends staying alert to the early warning signs and booking a professional inspection if anything looks “off.” With Abell’s prevention-first approach, we focus on finding the source of the activity and stopping it, not just treating what you can see.