Termites are called the “silent destroyers” for good reason. They can hollow out the structural wood in your home for years before any visible sign appears. By the time most homeowners notice something is wrong, significant — and expensive — damage has already been done.
Here are five of the most common warning signs that termites may have found their way into your home.
1. Mud Tubes on Your Foundation
Subterranean termites — the most common species in northeast Georgia — build pencil-sized mud tubes along your foundation walls, piers, and any surface connecting soil to wood. These tubes protect the termites from air exposure as they travel.
Run your hand along your foundation at ground level. If you find mud-colored tubes that crumble to reveal small cream-colored insects (or nothing at all), call a pest professional immediately.
2. Hollow-Sounding Wood
Termites eat wood from the inside out, leaving only a thin layer of paint or wood on the surface. Tap on wooden baseboards, door frames, and structural beams. If they sound hollow or papery, that’s a serious red flag.
You can also use a screwdriver to gently probe suspected areas. If the wood gives way easily, termites may be the culprit.
3. Discarded Wings Near Windows and Doors
Once a termite colony matures, it produces “swarmers” — winged termites that leave the colony to start new ones. After swarming, they shed their wings. Finding small piles of identical-looking wings on windowsills, in spider webs, or near door frames is a strong indicator that a mature colony is nearby.
Termite swarm season in Georgia typically runs from February through May.
4. Tight-Fitting Doors or Windows
As termites tunnel through and damage wood, they produce moisture that causes wood to warp. If doors or windows that previously opened smoothly now stick or seem swollen, termites (or moisture damage they’ve caused) may be to blame.
This symptom is easy to dismiss as normal seasonal swelling — don’t. It’s worth having it checked.
5. Frass (Termite Droppings)
Drywood termites — less common in our area but present — push their droppings out of small holes in the wood they’re eating. These droppings, called frass, look like tiny pellets or sawdust and are often found in small piles below infested wood.
What to Do If You Spot These Signs
Don’t panic — but don’t wait, either. Call a licensed pest control professional for a thorough inspection. At Kilz Pest Control, all termite inspections are completely free with no obligation.
We’ll check your crawl space, attic, foundation, and all accessible wood structures and give you an honest written report — whether you have termites or not.
Call us at (706) 754-6248 or request an inspection online.