Termites work quietly. They hide. And they can chew through the bones of a house for months before anyone notices. Once you know what termite damage looks like, you can catch an infestation early, while it's still cheap to deal with. Below are 18 warning signs to look for, inside and out.
Quick answer
Common signs of termite damage include mud tubes on the foundation, shed wings near windowsills, frass pellets under wood, and wood that sounds hollow when tapped. Inside, watch for bubbling paint, sagging drywall, squeaky floors, and doors that stick. These point to an active colony that needs a pro.
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Signs you can see on walls and ceilings
Termites give off moisture as they tunnel. That moisture shows up on the surfaces around them, which is why wall and ceiling damage is often the first thing a homeowner notices. Most people mistake it for an ordinary leak.
If you spot any of these and there's no obvious plumbing or roof source, it's worth ruling out termites.
- Paint that bubbles or peels like it got wet
- Drywall that sags or bulges
- Drywall that changes color or shows faint maze-like lines
- Tiny pinholes bored through paint or drywall
- Faint clicking or rustling from inside the wall
Signs in floors and woodwork
Termites eat wood from the inside out. So the structural wood under your floors and trim can be badly hollowed while the surface still looks fine. These clues point to damage in the boards and beams you walk on every day.
Pay close attention to squeaky or spongy floors. Badly damaged floorboards aren't just annoying. They can be a safety hazard.
- Wood or laminate floors that develop humps, dips, or gaps
- Baseboards that feel loose or shift when you touch them
- Floor or wall tiles that loosen as moisture weakens the adhesive
- Floorboards that get noticeably squeakier over time
- Wood that sounds hollow or papery when you tap it
Doors, windows, and furniture
Termite activity warps wood and traps moisture, which changes how doors and windows sit in their frames. A door that suddenly sticks after years of opening fine is a classic clue, and an easy one to miss.
Wooden furniture and built-ins can show damage too, sometimes before the structure does.
- Doors or windows that stick or jam with no weather explanation
- Honeycomb or maze patterns visible in furniture, walls, or floorboards
- Wood furniture that sounds hollow or feels lighter than it should
Telltale debris: frass, wings, and mud tubes
Some of the surest signs aren't damage at all. They're the things termites leave behind. When you find these, an active colony is nearby and growing, so act right away.
Frass is the term for drywood termite droppings. The colony shoves this debris out of its tunnels to keep them clean, which leaves small piles below the infested wood.
- Small piles of pellets about a millimeter long, like beige or pinkish salt mixed with black pepper (drywood termite frass)
- Piles of what look like tiny fish scales or clear wings near windowsills (swarmer wings shed after a mating flight)
- Pencil-width tubes of dried mud climbing foundations and walls (built by subterranean termites moving between soil and wood)
Signs outside the home
Trouble often shows on the exterior before it shows inside. That's where subterranean termites get in, and where wood meets soil. Walking the foundation a few times a year is one of the best habits a homeowner can build.
Look hard at anything wooden touching the ground, and at spots that stay damp.
- Mud tubes on exterior foundation walls, piers, or crawl-space supports
- Woodpiles, fence posts, decks, or sheds that show crumbling, sawdust, or open galleries
What to do if you spot signs of termite damage
One or two of these signs doesn't always add up to a full-blown infestation. But it always means it's time to look closer. Shed wings and fresh mud tubes especially point to an active, reproducing colony, and that won't clear up on its own.
Termites hide most of their damage inside the wood, so a thorough inspection by a licensed local pro is the only way to know how far it really goes. Confirm and treat early and you'll pay less to repair. Get eyes on it soon instead of waiting to see whether it worsens.