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How to Check Your Home For Drywood Termites

 

My name is Chet Rowland.

I've been wiping out termites for the last 42 years. My company -- Chet's Termite & Pest Management -- has been helping good people just like you rid their homes of termites and other pests since 1980.

In fact...No Other Person In Tampa Has Killed More Termites Than Me. It's my claim to fame.

I've slaughtered millions of them... and it doesn't bother me one bit.

I created this special report because I wanted to give YOU -- the homeowner -- some kind of power over the destructive drywood termite.

You now have in your hot little hands some important guidelines on HOW to spot these nasty critters so you can stop them in their tracks... before they can cause any serious structural damage.

I'll go into the full inspection procedure in just a bit, (which you can do yourself), but for now, let's roll up our sleeves and get right to work.

Here are eight signs that you probably have drywood termite infestation.

1. Exit or "Kick Out" Pinholes: The holes are often difficult to spot because they are small -- about the size of small nail hole that you'd hang a painting.

2. Pellet Piles: This often looks like sawdust or sand, but is in reality the fecal waste from drywood termites.

3. Discarded "Rainbow" Wings: This in an indication of "swarmer" drywood termites that have dropped their wings as part of the mating cycle.

4. Blistered Wood: Drywood termites will typically "hollow out" a piece of wood leaving only a thin veneer of unstable wood or surface paint that takes on a blistered appearance.

5. Swarming Bugs Around Lights: Drywood Termites that are ready to reproduce will be drawn to light.

6. Body Shape: Drywood termites are brown, about a 1/2-inch long, with TWO body segments and four equal sized "glassy" wings that are about twice as long as their body. They also have straight antennae, (carpenter ants on the other hand are about an inch long with three body parts and elbowed antennae).

7. Damaged Wood: Sometimes the homeowner is alerted to trouble by simply discovering pocked, "tunneled" and damaged wood in or around the home.

8. Cream Colored Worms: If you tear into some damaged wood you may find cream colored, six-legged "worms". These are the drywood termites before they are ready for reproduction (only when they are ready to mate will they grow wings).

Okay... now you know WHAT to look for. Problem is...You Don't Know HOW To Look!

This is where most people are understandably clueless. Which is why you need to keep reading!

The typical homeowner often NEVER sees any of these signs because it requires a trained eye and a rather rigorous inspection process (which I'm about to walk you through).

Sometimes you'll be lucky enough to spot one or more of these signs right off the bat, in obvious places:

...Like some pinholes around your front door.

...Or a small pile of pellets on a kitchen window sill.

Stumbling over obvious signs is actually rare, but if that does happen, you should act immediately...

To Avoid Ongoing Structural Damage To Your Property!

Call a termite control company right away.

You can of course choose any pest control company you want... but I'm hoping you'll choose Chet's Termite & Pest Management.

I'm the only one with the free inspection... non-toxic XT-2000 "green" Orange Oil Plus treatment... and a 100% guarantee on all work.

But for now, let's assume that you have NOT discovered one of these 8 signs yet. Which means you'll have be trained on how to look for these "clues".

That's what the rest of this report is all about. So if you're willing to get your hands a little dirty, you can conduct your very own drywood termite inspection.

Here's the tools you'll need:

1. A large screwdriver...

2. A good bright flashlight...

3. A piece of chalk...

4. Elbow and knee pads.

That's it -- not a lot of tools, (although you may want to consider a hard hat too).

So let's begin with the interior of your home. Here's how it's done:

INTERIOR:

As you walk into your front door, start your inspection on the wall to your right -- and then continue to work your way around the room (and around the house) to your right.

Why? Because by always moving to your right you won't miss anything. It's an old trick -- and a good one -- because without this system it's easy to miss a wall...

Or Even An Entire Room, If You're Not Careful!

As you move along the wall, look for "pinholes" down along the baseboards, in the wall itself, in the ceiling, around the edges of windows and doors (which are framed heavily with wood), and in any wooden flooring.

These holes will be about the size of a BB (like from a BB gun), or a small nail hole.

Spotting a pinhole can be difficult to the untrained eye, but it's important because the holes essentially serve as a termite "doorways".

These doorways have really two functions.

1.     To discard termite feces...

2.     For reproductive-ready termites to "swarm".

First let's talk about the nasty bathroom habits of the drywood termite.

As the drywood termites chew up the wood in your home, they produce an enormous amount of waste product...

Or Feces... Or Poop... Or Whatever You Want To Call It!

As you can imagine, after a while it starts backing up and getting in the way... and so the termites are clever enough to chew small holes to allow this waste to escape.

Which is why the pinhole will often have a nearby pile of what looks like sawdust or sand or even coffee.

Warning...This Is Not Coffee! No... it's definitely not for brewing.

This is termite fecal matter. And it can come in any number of colors depending on the type of wood they're eating.  Which brings me to another point.

It's often easier to spot the "piles" than the pinholes. Look especially around baseboards, window sills, ledges, and cabinet shelving.

If you DO find a pile, you are very near the pinhole. Look up and around to find it.

It's important because... Just Behind That Pinhole Is Your Enemy... The Termite Colony!

When you discover the pinhole, mark it with your chalk so a professional termite killer (like me) can locate it again easily.

Alright, as I mentioned the second kind of pinhole is from drywood termites who have reached reproductive age and have dropped (or "swarmed") in order to find a mate.

Think of it like the chute door for paratroopers. Termites that are ready to mate will chew holes through your drywall, floor boards, walls and ceilings.

They'll then drop (sometimes by the hundreds) straight down to the ground (they don't fly very well)... where they find a mate, discard their wings, and crawl off to build their very own love nest, (so they can start their own colony).

Okay... if this happened in your living room while you were watching TV...You'd Probably Think You Were Starring In An Alfred Hitchcock Movie! You'd know pretty quick that you have a termite problem.

But more often than not this "swarming" takes place in your attic or in the crawl space under your home... where you NEVER see it.

Which is why you'll want to do what I do -- check under your home and in your attic. So after you've completed a thorough inspection of the interior of your home, it's time to play "gofer" and dig around under your home.

CRAWL SPACES:

If your home has a parameter foundation, (most home in Florida do) you will have a small space between your floor boards and the ground you will need to check this space.

(If your home sits directly on a slab foundation you will of course not have a crawl space under your home.)

Okay... this can be downright dirty work, but if you're really intent on doing your own thorough termite inspection you'll need to take this step.

Have your chalk, a BIG screwdriver, and a good flashlight ready. Oh yeah, and...

Wear A Tuxedo Too!

Just kidding. Wear some old clothes that you don't mind messing up or better yet, a zip up "mechanics" suit that you can later just throw in the wash.

Look for a vent opening in the perimeter foundation (code requires that you have at least a few). Use it to crawl under your house.

Just like when you inspected the interior of your home, once under the house you'll want to continually move to your right to ensure you don't miss anything. Okay... let me pause here for a moment and talk about safety.

Crawl spaces can be dangerous places. Please... for your own good... keep on the watch for sharp nails, shards of metal and wood, dead animals, broken glass, gas and water pipes, exposed electrical wires and of course... Poisonous Spiders And Snakes! No joke.

And don't forget to tell someone that you're going to be under the house. It's easy to get wedged or stuck there... and that's one heck of place to spend the night.

Believe me, after 42 years in this biz, I've seen it all.

Let's continue. Work your way along the perimeter checking the top of the soil for the classic "sawdust" piles.

Since mating termites are drawn to light, also carefully check the area where the concrete foundation meets the wooden support beams of your floor as it is common to have cracks of daylight peeking through.

That gap of light between your foundation and floor is a...

Perfect Spot For Mating Termites To Romance! What you'll look for is not only the piles of pellets along the ledge, but also discarded wings.

(That's also why your interior inspection should include checking for wings around all windows, lamps and inside ceiling lights.)

Just like the paratrooper who no longer needs his parachute once he hits the ground, the termites will shed their wings.

Make note where you've spotted any wings as the termites don't move too far after discarding them. Typically the colony is within 5 to 8 feet.

Like I said, they don't fly very well and apparently, even with six legs...

They Just Don't Like Walking Either!

Alright, as you go through this inspection process, I want you to keep in mind that my company -- Chet's Termite and Pest Management -- will perform this entire inspection for you FREE of charge.

And since many people are skeptical (that's a good thing), every inspector, (including me), carries around a handy pocket-sized "flip video" recorder.

This allows us to shoot actual video of any signs of wings, pellets, and damaged wood so we can "play back" the trouble spots to you...

Without You Ever Being Forced Into Grubby Crawl Spaces To Double-Check Our Findings!

So you can wear that tuxedo during your home inspection after all. It's just another way that I'm looking out for you.

Okay... let's continue on with your inspection.

THE ATTIC:

Another place you MUST check out... is the attic.

This is very important because many time termites will initially enter your home through attic vents. Again, have your flashlight, screwdriver and chalk handy.

Before entering the attic (typically through an access door on the ceiling) you'll probably want to lay down some large sheets of paper to protect your carpet from falling insulation.

That's what we do at Chet's Termite & Pest Management.

We also cover our shoes with protective "booties"... carry hand cleaner and paper towels to keep everything spotless... and use strange words like "please" and "thank you"...

All Of Which Are Almost Unheard Of In This Industry!

Yeah, it's true... most of the other termite control companies would hire chimpanzees if they could get away with it. Not me. That's what makes Chet's Termite & Pest Management different.

Alright, once you're in the attic, you'll again want to work to your right... and cover the entire perimeter of the attic.

Look for the classic signs of pellets sitting ontop the insulation. If you find them look up and around for the pinholes.

If you discover a pinhole, use your screwdriver to tap-tap-tap to see if the wood is hollowed-out.

Which brings me to another important point. During the ENTIRE inspection you should keep your eyes open for "blistering" wood or paint.

Termites are crafty little buggers. They will gobble up the interior of a piece of wood yet leave a thin outside layer of wood (or paint) untouched. Many times the only indicator that something is wrong is...An Odd-Looking Rippling Or Bubbling Across The Surface!

As I've suggested, that's where the screwdriver comes in. Use it to poke around the area.

If the wood surface collapses and "pellets" come pouring out like a broken gumball machine... well... that's classic termite damage.

You need to address it right away before it gets any worse. Mark the area clearly with chalk... and call me.

While inspecting the attic, work your way along the ceiling boards to the very edge -- where the tresses meet the walls.

The most critical area to inspect is near any fresh air vents. These are designed to allow hot air to escape your attic, but it's also a perfect place for drywood termites to enter your home.

Again, around these vents you're looking for piles of pellets, discarded glassy wings and the other 8 signs of termite infestation I listed earlier.

You MUST keep safety in mind. First, the heat in an attic can be tremendous. If it's in the 90's outside, it's probably near 140-degrees in your attic.

Which means of course, unless you're an armadillo, you must...Beware Of Heat Exhaustion!

So make sure you hydrate yourself with plenty of water and Gatorade.

Another thing, crawling along the edge of a 2x4 is rough on the knees. Which is why I suggested you have knee pads. And if you happen to "slip" off the beam, you'll very likely end up crashing through your ceiling.

Hopefully you'll land on your couch. Or at least near a phone where you can dial 911.

And of course, as always, you'll want to be very careful of poisonous spiders, nails, and exposed electrical wires.

Many times -- especially in older homes -- there's been electrical upgrading that's left the "old" wiring system exposed.

Problem is...You're Never Quite Sure If Any Of It Is Still "Live"! It's a shocking problem.

So always assume that any loose and bare wires have electricity flowing. That way you're never surprised.

As I've mentioned, it's important that you check the entire perimeter of the attic space. Also, inspect the roof rafters.

Finally, here's a big tip -- and it's where... A Spider Can Actually Be Your Best Friend!

Before wiping away any cobwebs, carefully check them for discarded wings and dead termites. This is a quick and easy method for spotting them and could save you a lot of time and trouble.

THE EXTERIOR:

The final area that you'll want to check is the exterior of your home. Just like the other areas, you'll want to methodically work your way around the home to your right to ensure you don't miss anything.

Carry a pole that's long enough to reach the overhanging rafters and fascia board. This essentially replaces the function of your screwdriver...

To "Tap-Tap-Tap" On Suspected Pinhole Areas Or Damaged Wood Out Of Your Reach!

Use a ladder if you have to. Check up and down, from the vent holes and top of the foundation up to the roof rafters. You'll want to focus intensely on the outside edges around windows and doors and the attic vents.

Pull back any brush or shrubs that have grown up against the house so you can have a good look at what's going on behind the scenes.

Look for the 8 signs of termite infestation that I originally listed... wings, pellets, and blistered wood to name a few of the most obvious.

Use some of the tricks, including checking out cobwebs for wings and examining any ledges for pellets.

Another important thing that is often overlooked, (even by experts who should know better), are trees, fencing, old stumps and any sheds or scrap wood near the home.

Many time a quick investigation of these areas reveals infestation that -- if left unchecked -- would simply result in your home being... Infested Again... Soon After Any Treatment Is Completed!

Alright, I hope this crash course in termite hunting has helped.

One thing to keep in mind is that I train ANY new technician I hire for THREE full months before trusting them to spot termites.

My point is that, unless you've been working at it for some months, you're still a raw rookie with a woefully untrained eye.

This report will help you know what to look for. I understand that some people would rather do it themselves than trust an expert.

That's fine.

But if you're just not interested in going through all the hassles of doing your own inspection, remember that Chet's Termite and Pest Management...

Provides This Termite Inspection For FREE!

Why not call now? The inspection is free, and any work we conduct carries a 100% money back guarantee.

For a termite-free home...

Chet Rowland The Termite Terminator Owner,

Chet's Termite and Pest Management

P.S. Oh yeah -- and if you DO have termites, don't forget that I am the ONLY termite control company in all of Florida licensed to use the revolutionary new XT-2000 "green" Orange Oil Plus.

It's finally a way to kill termites without being forced to tent and leave your home while it's pumped full of toxic gases and poisons.

Call my office right now at 813-935-7554 and set up a FREE home inspection now.

There's no obligation and we'll allow you to choose a date and time that's most convenient for you.

About the Author

1997 Pontiac Grand Am not starting?

6 CYL 3.1L.. parked it after the lights started dimming and battery light was turning on and off when accelerating. Now it does not start. I bought a new battery and the interior lights and everything else turn on when the key is turned. The car won't start though. I tore everything apart down to the start and selenoid and checked the selenoid with an insulated screwdrivers and the starter motor works. I don't know what else it could be besides the alternator or the starter solenoid. The car would start even if the alternator wasn't working, am I wrong? The battery would just go dead after some time!

provided the battery had a full charge on it from the store, it should start the vehicle, it will probably just start and die though, the starter turns the engine and makes it start, once the engine starts the starter is just along for the ride, likewise the alternator doesn't do anything at all until the engine is running. need more info like what happens when you turn the key, does it just click, does it woodpecker, does it do anything? sounds like the alternator went bad when you parked it, probably due to a battery that wouldn't charge, so the thing to do there is put an alternator and battery on it, when you go to start it the first time you'll probably have to feather the gas pedal and force it to idle for a minute while it relearns or you'll just start and die.

Happy Handle Stamp Set