How do you know if you have termites in your house

[Steve S]

I've noticed a pile of sawdust toward the top of the stairs leading to my deck and wonder if it's termites.

[Phalex]

Sounds more like ants to me.....

[FL Knifemaker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nt75Wf6k7s

[Relic]

Sounds like carpenter ants maybe? Regardless I'd call an exterminator because either way you'll need to take care of it asap

[MJ5150]

It also could be fraggles.

-Mike

[Gopherbassist]

If you see any shiny stuff that looks kinda like slug slime but isn't wet, that should be termites. Look around where you saw this dust, if there is anything you can turn over that bugs would hide under, that's where you'd find the stuff. But sawdust like stuff doesn't sound like termites to me, as they eat wood.

[Relic]

See, the problem also is that by the time you see the sawdust, there may be more damage that you cant see. Don't wait too long to get it checked out.

[Pilgrim]

Doesn't matter what the problem is, you know there is one. Get a pro in to check it out. You can talk with them about whether it's something you can deal with yourself.

[Crowder101]

Termites Leave a Molding of mud-lookin stuff running up your wall.. so ive heard..

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by Relic

See, the problem also is that by the time you see the sawdust, there may be more damage that you cant see. Don't wait too long to get it checked out.

Thanks! I'll have a professional look into it.

[knumbskull]

toothpaste tube squeezed in incorrect manner

toilet roll runs out suspiciously fast

strange food in fridge with insectoid names written on it in permanent marker




sorry

[MEKer]

Originally Posted by Crowder101

Termites Leave a Molding of mud-lookin stuff running up your wall.. so ive heard..

Some do and some do not. Sounds like Cali termites to me (spelling prob wrong) or carpenter ants which are even easier to see as they will show themselves more readily upon investigation. I was an exterminator for a year many many years ago and saw that stuff all the time. We used chlordane back then-----deadly deadly stuff. So deadly it was taken off the use-list federally. Call an exterminator, buddy.

When you see the mud tubes from foundation up--thats bad. Break'em, start probing the sill for the eaten out spots. Nowadays prob get in trouble so I will whisper it and claim I am NOT telling anyone what to do---boy the termites sure hate it when they get the area they are in sprayed/soaked with diesel. Lalalal dooo dooo dooo.