Every season has its pros and cons, but certainly one of the good things about Autumn in Indianapolis is that insect populations are much lower than they are in the summer. By November, mosquitoes have all but disappeared and stinging insects are few and far between.

However, there are some insects that are still quite active. They won’t bug you; in fact, you more than likely won’t see them out and about at all, but you can be sure that they will continue their work all through the fall and into the winter and beyond. Unfortunately, the work they do can cost you thousands of dollars.

Termites cause over $5 billion in damage to homes in the United States every year, and that damage is usually not covered by homeowners' insurance. Because they take up residence in your Indianapolis home, they have a warm place to live which allows them to remain active all year round, eating through wood and destroying the structural integrity of your house.

Since they both live and eat right inside the wood, it is rare for them to come out into the open, one of the reasons homeowners often don’t notice them until the damage is extensive. However, there are a few signs you can look for to spot a termite infestation in your Indianapolis home.

Signs Of A Termite Infestation

• Discarded wings - Termite swarmers come out of hiding in order to mate, and when they do, they leave their wings behind. This typically only takes place in spring or early summer, however, so it’s unlikely that you’ll see them in the fall. If you do find a termite swarm, regardless of the time of year, it’s an indication that you already have a well-established problem.
• Mud tubes - When termites travel outside of wood, they create tubes in order to keep themselves at the temperature and humidity level required for them to survive. If you see mud tubes, which are about the thickness of a pencil, along your foundation walls, it’s a sign of termites.
• Frass - As termites eat through the wood in your home, they leave behind excrement called frass. Since their diet is wood, frass looks very much like sawdust. Termites prefer clean nesting areas, so they’ll kick the frass out of the holes they’ve dug. If you notice small piles of sawdust under small holes in a piece of wood, you may have termites in your home.
• Hollow-sounding wood - If you’re wondering if you have termites, knock on some of your wood beams. If they sound hollow, they may have termites in them.
• Sagging floors or walls - When termite damage has become extensive, it can compromise the integrity of your home’s structure. If you see floors that look like they’re sagging or walls that bulge, and there are no signs of water damage, you may have a termite problem.

Whether you think you already have a termite problem or not, the best thing you can do to protect your home is to get a termite inspection. Because termites are so hard to find and can even be missed if you don't know the signs, your best line of defense is to have someone who is specially trained to spot them for you.

With regular termite inspections, you’ll not only receive helpful tips about how best to prevent termites from entering your home, but you’ll also know that if they somehow slip in, the problem will be identified early in order and be treated before major damage occurs.

Action Pest Control offers Indianapolis homeowners the options they need to take care of termites, including inspections and the Sentricon® System with Always Active™. Call us now for more information on our termite control services in Indianapolis.