Termites in the Wall: Detect Signs of termites, Assess Damage, and Get Rid of Them

Introduction

Termites are sneaky pests that can go unnoticed for years while they slowly destroy wood components of your home. They like to hide in crawl spaces, inside walls, under floors – any areas that are dark, damp, and filled with cellulose-rich wood for them to eat. While termites prefer feeding on wood, they can also damage drywall, flooring, insulation, and even swimming pools. Left untreated, termite damage in walls can become extensive and threaten the structural integrity of your home. Catching an infestation early is key to limiting repairs and preventing further destruction.

Signs of Termites In Walls in Your Home

There are a few key signs that may indicate the presence of termites in your walls:

Mud Tubes and Termite Dust near Walls

Mud tubes are one of the most common signs of subterranean termites. These are narrow earthen tunnels created by termites to travel between their underground nest and wood sources. You may find a network of tubes rising up exterior foundation walls, along crawl spaces, or near cracks and crevices. Termite droppings may accumulate around the tubes, appearing as a fine dust or grit. Termites create these mud tube shelters to travel safely from their nest to food sources while protecting them from open air.

Another sign that may indicate termites are present within walls is seeing ants trailing along your interior walls. Ants are often attracted to termite activity and the moisture present.

Damage to Drywall and Wood

Termites can eat through drywall to access the wood studs and joists inside. Telltale signs are blistered paint or soft spots on your interior walls. Tap on the drywall – damaged areas will sound hollow compared to normal solid areas. Peeling back wallpaper or baseboards may reveal mud tubes built behind them. Look for wood damage like tunnels, eaten layers, or crumbling wood.

Cracks, bubbles, or irregular soft areas in the surface of the drywall can indicate termites actively eating and tunneling just behind the wall. Keep an eye out for these warning signs of potential termite damage underneath.

Swarmer Termites Flying Indoors

Swarmers are winged termites that leave the colony to mate and start new nests. They are a sure sign of an active termite infestation nearby. Swarming season is in spring to early summer in most regions. Look for groups of winged termites flying around windows, doors, or within the house. Swarmers also pile up dead on windowsills or the floor.

Swarming termites gathering by the windows is a prime sign of an active termite infestation within the walls of your home

3. Your Wall Paint Is Bubbling or Flaking

Damaged drywall underneath may cause the paint or wallpaper to bubble, peel, crack or flake. Tap the wall in these areas to see if the damaged section sounds hollow and thin compared to surrounding areas. Cut away the paint or wallpaper to inspect the drywall underneath for tunnels or signs of infestation.

4. Your Wall Sounds Hollow

Use a hammer or other hard object to tap on walls throughout the house, listening for a hollow sound rather than a solid thud. Hollow spots indicate damaged and eroded areas of drywall or wood. Pay special attention to tapping baseboards, window trim, and doors. Follow up by cutting into suspicious areas to check for live termites or damage.

Signs of Termites in Ceiling

Ceilings made with drywall or lathe and plaster can also show similar signs when infested by termites:

• Discolored or blistering paint and wallpaper on the ceiling
• Soft, spongy areas of drywall or lathe and plaster
• Drywall cracks widening over time
• Bowing, sagging, or uneven areas of the ceiling
• Water stains from termites accessing plumbing above
• Sawdust or termite droppings falling from tiny holes in the ceiling

What to Do If You Have Termites in Your Walls

If inspection reveals termites are actively infesting the walls, contact a professional pest control company right away. Do-it-yourself chemical treatments are usually ineffective and just drive the termites deeper into inaccessible areas. Professional pest control can:

• Thoroughly inspect the property and pinpoint the extent of infestation
• Apply targeted chemicals, heat, freezing, or bait treatments proven effective for termites
• Re-inspect and monitor regularly to ensure termites are eliminated
• Recommend repairs to damaged wood and other materials

To limit damage, avoid disturbing areas known to have active termites until treatment begins. Professionals may leave infested areas untouched at first so as not to spread the colony before applying pesticides.

If left untreated, the termite colony inside your walls can grow to contain thousands of workers which can cause severe damage

Can termites nest in walls?

Yes, termites can and will nest inside of walls and other hollow areas of your home. The spices that invade structures, like subterranean and Drywood termites, establish nests and extensive tunneling inside walls, floors, attics, and furniture. Worker termites need constant access back to the main colony and food source. Wall voids provide ideal dark, secluded spaces for termites to move up from the ground while shielded from light and open air. Their excavations often go unnoticed for years, until a swarm occurs or severe damage is visible. Regular inspections along with controlling moisture and wood access to your home are key to preventing termite nests from developing inside.

How do I tell if I have termites in my walls?

Start by looking for these common signs that may indicate termites inside of your walls:

• Mud tubes running up the foundation into cracks and crevices
• Piles of wings or swarmer termites near walls and windows
• Bubbling or cracking paint and drywall on interior walls
• Hollow sounds when tapping on walls and trim
• Wood damage like tunnels and eroded layers behind walls
• Dirt or sawdust falling from holes in walls

The next step is cutting into suspicious areas to inspect within wall voids. Shining a flashlight inside, use signs like live termites, discarded wings, mud tunnels, and wood damage to confirm an active infestation. Key areas to inspect inside of walls include near plumbing lines, baseboards, window frames, and along the foundation. If evidence is found, contact a professional pest control service to treat your home and prevent further damage.

Identifying Different Termite Species in walls

There are a few different termite species that can invade walls and cause damage. Identifying what type of termite you have is important – different species may require different control methods for effective elimination. Common termite species include:

Subterranean Termites

These termites nest underground and construct mud tubes to reach food sources above ground. The tubes usually run up exterior foundation walls or pier pillars before going inside. Subterranean termites are the most damaging type in most regions. Signs include mud tubes, swarmers, and wood damaged along the lines of tubes.

Drywood Termites

As the name implies, drywood termites thrive in drier climates and do not need soil contact. They infest dry, sound wood and get moisture from the wood itself. Look for tiny fecal pellets, drywood swarmers, and tunnels in attic wood, wall framing, and furniture.

Inspecting for Termites and Termite Damage

Conducting thorough inspections is key to detecting termite activity as early as possible. Look for these signs when inspecting your home’s walls, attic, basement, and crawlspaces:

Professional Termite Inspections

Termite inspectors have the proper tools and expertise to pinpoint hidden infestations. They may use moisture meters, probes, ladders, and endoscopes to thoroughly inspect your home’s vulnerable areas. If termites are found, the inspector can advise on removal methods and help assess any damage that may need repair. Getting a professional inspection annually or biannually can detect termite activity before major damage occurs.

Checking for Hidden Termite Damage

Termites often damage wood structures behind walls, like studs, joints, rafters, and sheathing. Look for warning signs like sagging floors or ceilings, shifting foundation, and sticky or asymmetrical doors and windows – potential indications of hidden termite damage. Inspectors can use technology like ultrasound and 3D imaging to evaluate the condition of inaccessible structural components. Then repairs can be made as needed to ensure your home’s stability and prevent collapse.

How To Get Rid Of Termites In Walls

If you discover termites have infested the walls, professional pest control treatment will offer the best chance of eliminating them. Here are some common methods used:

• Liquid soil treatment: Termicide is injected into the soil around the foundation where termites travel between nest and structure. Kills termites on contact. Requires drilling into slabs.
• Bait systems: Paper, cellulose, or wood bait containing slow-acting poison is placed around the home. Termites feed on the bait and bring it back to the colony, eventually killing the entire nest.
• Heat treatments: Heating infested areas to 130-140°F kills termites and eggs but doesn’t harm structure. Useful for Drywood termites deep in walls.
• Freezing treatments: CO2 or liquid nitrogen applied into wall voids freezes termites and eggs. Low risk of damage.
• Fumigation tents: Tenting and filling the home with pressurized gas to penetrate walls and wood. Effective but time-consuming. Kills all termites inside at once. Follow-up prevention needed.
• Natural predators: Beneficial nematodes or fungi added to soil can infect and kill subterranean termites. Lower toxicity and less invasive.

A combination of methods may be required for thorough elimination. After treatment, repair any damage to walls, wood, and other materials to discourage termites from re-entering treated areas. Ongoing monitoring and maintenance helps keep structures re-infestation free.

FAQs

Can termites be on interior walls?

Yes, termites can infest interior walls, feeding on the wood framing, insulation, wiring, and even drywall inside. Subterranean termites build mud tubes up exterior walls, allowing them to enter voids within interior walls to start colonies and tunnels. Drywood and damp wood termites also bore extensively into interior walls undetected.

How long until termites destroy a house?

If left completely untreated, termites can severely damage or destroy a home in as little as 3-5 years. However, caught early, termite damage often takes 5-12 years to significantly impact structure. Regular inspections and prompt treatment after first signs can prevent major damage.

How do you treat termites on interior walls?

To treat termites within interior walls, pest control pros may inject termiticides into voids, pump in heat or freezing treatments, release beneficial nematodes, or use termite baits. Fumigation tenting if needed for severe, hidden infestations. The goal is to penetrate the interior spaces where termites nest and tunnel.

What do termites on a wall look like?

Termites themselves are small, pale insects about 1/4 inch long. Signs of termites on walls include mud tubes running up the exterior and sometimes continuing inside. Indoors, look for blistering paint or soft drywall areas. Drilling into damaged areas may reveal live termites, discarded wings, Frass, and tunneling within the wall voids.

Can termites live in drywall?

Drywall contains cellulose that termites can potentially feed on, but it is not their preferred food source. More concerning is that termites can tunnel through drywall to access the timber framing behind. Damaged drywall with hollowed out areas, tubes, or blistering paint may indicate active termites are inside walls.

can u hear termites in the wall

It is possible to hear soft scratching or tapping noises coming from termites within infested walls, but this is not common. More noticeable signs like hollow drywall, swarmers, tubes, and wood damage typically appear first. Use a stethoscope or tap walls with a hammer to detect problem areas before termites cause costly structural damage.

do termites eat wallpaper

Termites do not feed on wallpaper directly since it has little nutritional value. However, they can chew through wallpaper to access the cellulose in the underlying drywall or to build mud tubes over wallpaper. Bubbling, cracked, or peeling wallpaper may signal termites are active in that area of the wall.

Conclusion

In summary, catching termites living inside the walls early is key before they can severely compromise wood structural components. Conduct thorough inspections inside and out, looking for signs like swarmers, tubes, damaged wood or drywall. If termites are discovered within walls, get professional pest control treatment right away. With early detection and proper elimination methods, major termite damage can be prevented.