When to schedule a termite inspection: signs, past activity and monitoring

This guide covers several situations where a termite inspection may come up. You may have found something that looks like a termite sign, you may have records of past termite activity or treatment, you may be buying or selling a home, or you may not know whether anything is happening. The goal is to help you decide whether to request an inspection now or plan periodic monitoring.

Termites are hard to notice. The US EPA says termites rarely come out of the soil, mud tubes or food sources they tunnel through, and most people don't know they have termites until they see a swarm or find damage during construction ¹.

If you see a suspected sign, request an inspection

The EPA's page on identifying termites suggests probing exposed wood for hollow spots with a flathead screwdriver or similar tool, and watching for swarms of winged insects. It also warns that people sometimes mistake ant swarms for termites ¹. According to the EPA, termite wings are roughly equal in length and termite antennae are straight, while ants have front wings longer than the hind wings and antennae bent at a right angle ¹.

Penn State Extension's guide to eastern subterranean termites describes other signs worth having assessed. Any of these is a reason to call:

• Winged insects swarming indoors around doors and windows, since winged termites are attracted to light ².
• Shed wings, which Penn State says are very often the only evidence that termites are in a building ².
• Earth-colored tubes on cellar walls, wooden posts, wall studs, mudsills, or door and window trim. Termites build these mainly as protected runways from the soil to the wood they feed on ².
• Wood that sounds or feels hollow when probed, or wood with passages coated in an earth-like material ².

Report what you saw instead of diagnosing it

In our view, finding one of these signs means you should request an inspection. It does not prove you have termites. Winged ants and winged termites look alike to most people, and which one you have changes what happens next. Take photos, note the date and the exact spot, and give that information to the inspector.

Penn State recommends having a professional inspect the building, because licensed pest control companies have people with experience spotting infestations that many laypeople would miss ². The same guide says visible termite damage is usually the result of years of infestation and does not cause a building to collapse in a few days ². You have time to arrange an inspection calmly, so book one soon and avoid rushed decisions.

If there are no visible signs, decide how to monitor

The EPA lists periodic inspection among its prevention steps, to help ensure termite colonies do not become established ¹. The EPA page does not set one interval for every home, and we don't suggest one here. Your situation decides which questions to raise with an inspection provider.

Previous activity or treatment

If your records show past termite activity or treatment, ask the provider what follow-up inspection or monitoring applies to that property's records and treatment plan. A past treatment shows that something happened before. It does not show the home is protected today. Some approaches include ongoing checks. The EPA, for example, describes one bait active ingredient as part of a termite inspection, monitoring and baiting system ¹. Bring whatever paperwork you have, including dates, the company name and the treatment type if it is listed.

A pending home sale or purchase

If you are buying or selling, ask your agent, lender or the other party what inspection and documentation they need, and by what date, before you book. Don't assume every transaction calls for a termite inspection. Once you know the deadline and the type of report needed, you can pick an inspection date that leaves room for follow-up questions.

Routine monitoring with no history

If you have no signs and no records, periodic inspection can go together with the upkeep the EPA recommends. That includes keeping soil around the foundation dry through grading, drainage, gutters and downspouts, fixing leaks right away, keeping trees and shrubs from growing against exposed wood, and not piling firewood next to the house ¹. Ask a provider how often they suggest inspecting your home and why.

Hypothetical example: wings near a window

This example is hypothetical. No actual customer is described here, and the scenario only walks through how the choice could be made.

Early one day, the homeowner spots a little heap of shed wings lying on a windowsill. In the house files, they also find an old termite treatment record from a previous owner.

The wings could belong to ants, since the EPA notes that ant swarms are sometimes mistaken for termites ¹. They could also be termite wings, which Penn State says are often the only evidence of termites in a building ². The old record shows termites were treated at some point. It does not identify these wings or show that the earlier treatment still protects the house.

So the homeowner requests an inspection instead of waiting or guessing. They photograph the wings, note which window they were near, and give the inspector the photos and the treatment record. They also ask what follow-up monitoring makes sense for a home with that history.

Questions to ask when you book

The EPA says firms offering termite services must be licensed by your state. It suggests asking to see the company's license and calling your state pesticide regulatory agency if you have concerns ¹. Other useful questions:

• Which areas of the home will you inspect, and are there any you may not be able to reach?
• What will the written findings include?
• Based on what you find, what follow-up inspection or monitoring do you recommend for this property?

Asking about access limits before the visit helps you understand what the results do and don't cover.

Your next step

If you have seen a possible sign, write down where and when you saw it and take photos. If you have no signs, gather any past termite records or transaction paperwork. Then contact an inspection provider with that information. Currin Pest Control offers termite inspections, and your notes and records will help the inspector understand why you are calling.