Termite damage is expensive largely because it's slow and quiet. By the time most homeowners notice a problem, the colony has often been active for months. Knowing what to look for — and checking regularly — is the difference between a contained treatment and a structural repair bill.
1. Mud tubes along walls or foundations
Subterranean termites build pencil-width mud tubes to travel between the soil and their food source while staying protected from open air. Look along the base of exterior walls, foundation piers and crawl spaces. A tube that's dry and empty may be old; break a small section open — if it's rebuilt within a few days, the colony is still active.
2. Hollow-sounding or blistered timber
Termites eat wood from the inside, leaving a thin outer layer intact. Tap skirting boards, door frames and structural timber with the handle of a screwdriver. A hollow or papery sound, or wood that gives way under light pressure, both warrant a closer inspection.
3. Discarded wings near windows or lights
When a colony matures, it releases winged reproductives (alates) to start new colonies nearby. These swarmers are drawn to light, shed their wings shortly after landing, and leave small piles of uniform, translucent wings on windowsills or floors — often the first visible sign a homeowner notices.
4. Tight-fitting doors and windows
As termites tunnel through door and window frames, the wood can warp slightly, making doors and windows stick or fit unusually tight. This is easy to mistake for humidity or seasonal swelling, so treat it as one signal among several rather than proof on its own.
5. Frass (termite droppings) near small holes
Drywood termites push waste pellets out of small "kick-out" holes in infested wood. Frass looks like fine sawdust or coffee grounds, usually collecting in small mounds beneath the affected timber.
What to do if you spot these signs
Avoid disturbing mud tubes or treating the area with a household spray before an inspection — doing so can scatter the colony and make it harder to treat effectively. A proper response covers both post-construction treatment for the existing structure and, at the design stage, pre-construction treatment for new work, following IS 6313 (Part 2 & 3).