One of the most damaging pests that can enter your home are termites. Once they are in, they are hard to detect. And they can do some serious damage to your wooden structures. It can be very hard to tell if there are termites in your house or your furniture. To help keep the damage to a minimum, it’s important to understand the warning signs of a termite infestation early on and how to get rid of termites in furniture.

Here are a few ways to tell if there are termites in your furniture. These tips are also helpful if you’re considering buying used furniture – check before you purchase!

Look for evidence around the furniture

Even if there is currently a swarm occupying every piece of furniture in your home, actual termites can be hard to spot. There are a few signs you can look for that might be on or in the furniture you suspect has been infested. 

• Look for discarded termite wings. Swarmers shed their wings after they land. Since termites travel in large groups, it’s likely that if they’re there, there will be several wings discarded nearby. Check around your house, especially in the area where you suspect termites, for piles of wings on the floor, on windowsills, or in spider webs.
• Look for termite droppings, or “frass.” Termites leave behind droppings called frass when they eat wood. They are hard, small pellets that are usually the same color as the wood they have been eating and move it through the holes they have created in the wood. Frass can resemble sawdust and can be very difficult to detect.

Check your furniture for damage

If you found some of the above evidence that there are termites lingering somewhere in your home, you could still be unsure of where exactly they are living. The next step would be to check your actual furniture for damage. 

• Check for damage. While obvious, this is an important step in determining whether there are termites. Damage caused by termites is usually easy to spot through some proven signs, such as chipped off and uneven surfaces or tiny holes.

• Knock the wood for hollow sounds and be suspicious. Hit different parts of the furniture and assess for any hollow sounds on wood that should not sound that way. Drywood termites, especially, are known for eating through the wood from the inside out, making the wooden structure hollow.
• Look for mud tube formations. These are tiny tunnels located around areas of termite infestation. Mud tubes serve as a shield for the termites against the cool air, as they require higher temperature and humidity levels to survive. They will be brown and coarse in texture because they are made of small bits of soil and wood.

How to prevent termites from coming into your home

If you’re worried about termites but have seen no evidence of the pests, there are ways you can prevent entrance into your wooden structures. 

Don’t let moisture accumulate, especially near the foundation of your home

Termites are more likely to infest wood that is moist or in a moist area, as they are attracted to damp soil and wood. Make sure the area around the foundation of your home is dry and that the actual structure is protected from weathering and erosion as best as can be. 

Avoid wood coming into contact with the ground

Soil-to-wood affords termites easy access to food, moisture, and shelter. Any wood that is in the ground could become an open invitation to termites. This would also include not leaving wooden furniture outside. This could be a time-consuming task, especially if you’re living in a house that is older with a wood foundation or wooden structures around the property, but it is necessary to assess to ensure your home and furniture are protected.  

Keep firewood and debris at a minimum around the foundation

For the same reason, you shouldn’t have wooden structures in contact with the ground, you should keep firewood and debris away from the foundation of the house to avoid termites getting inside. Firewood, lumber, cardboard, newspapers, and similar materials attract termites and provide a source of food. Limit these if you can. 

How to get rid of termites that are in your furniture

What should you do if you’re dealing with a full-blown termite infestation? If you are sure you have termites, you might search for how to get rid of termites in your furniture. Unfortunately, there is no other answer to this predicament aside from calling an exterminator. Termites can really damage your furniture quickly and will spread to other areas fast. 

Work with the experts in West Michigan

Van Den Berge Pest Control has been voted the best of West Michigan Pest Control companies for eight consecutive years. We offer a 100% no-risk guarantee for pests of all kinds, whether it’s termites, mice, rats, roaches, or other animals and bugs. Contact us today at 616-392-7367 if you need help to eliminate termites or any pests from your home.