Is Your Kitchen Infested? 6 Signs of Termites in Cabinets
Finding signs of termites in your kitchen cabinets can be unsettling. But catching an infestation early is crucial to prevent serious structural damage to your home. Termites are sneaky pests that often go unnoticed as they chew through wood, leaving behind a trail of destruction.
By identifying the telltale signs of these wood-destroying insects, you can address a termite problem before it gets out of hand. Here are six common indicators that termites may be invading your kitchen cabinets.
Termite Droppings
One of the key signs of termites living inside your cabinets is the presence of termite droppings. These tiny brown or tan pellets look like coarse coffee grounds. Termites produce them as they digest wood, and the droppings accumulate in piles inside infested areas.
Termite droppings, also called frass, will be found on horizontal surfaces, the bottom of cabinets, and in small piles on the shelves. Their granular, pelletized appearance distinguishes them from ordinary dirt or dust.
Small Holes in Wood
Take a close look at your cabinet frames, doors, drawers, and interior surfaces for small holes burred into the wood. Termites bore into wood as they eat it, leaving behind tiny rounded holes about the size of a pinpoint.
These holes can range from tiny pinpricks to openings up to 1/8 inch wide. They may be scattered across infested wood or clustered together. Examine unfinished cabinet interiors carefully for small holes indicative of termites.
Mud Tubes
Cracking open a cabinet back panel or baseboard to find narrow mud tubes is a sure sign your kitchen has been invaded. Termites construct these tubular mud shelters to travel unseen between their colony and food sources.
The tubes allow termites to avoid light and dehydration. Look for mud tubes running across cabinet frames, along walls, and near plumbing, appliances, or other possible water sources.
Soft or Hollowed Wood
Termites eat wood from the inside out, so infested areas will become degraded and weakened even though surface damage isn’t visible. Tap cabinet interiors with a screwdriver to identify hollow, softened, or crumbly sections.
Hollow sounds when tapping or wood that caves in easily indicates termites have substantially damaged the underlying wood. Their tunnels and feeding can cause the wood to become paper-thin.
Sagging or Swollen Floors
If termites have been feasting on your kitchen’s subfloor or the boards beneath your cabinets, the damaged flooring can begin to sag, crack, or become uneven. This visible swelling is a red flag for a serious termite infestation.
Flooring may appear warped, uneven, or swollen under or around the edges of cabinets. Termites weaken floors from below, causing a spongy, cracked, or sloping appearance.
Signs of Wood Decay
While termites themselves cause great destruction, their damage also often leads to secondary wood decay from fungus or dry rot. Peeling paint, black mold, mushrooms, and warped or crumbling surfaces can indicate degraded wood.
As termites eat away material deep within wood, unchecked moisture can take hold. Be on the lookout for these signs of decay which may coincide with termite damage.
Inspecting for Termites
If you suspect signs of termites, it’s important to confirm their presence and inspect the full extent of damage. Drilling small holes to examine inside walls or lifting flooring provides a closer look.
In severe cases, contacting a professional pest control company to conduct an inspection is wise. Treatment and structural repairs may be needed to eliminate termites and prevent their spread.
Preventing Termites in Your Kitchen
To protect your cherished kitchen cabinets from termites, make your home as inhospitable to them as possible. Fix leaky plumbing, improve drainage, and eliminate excess moisture. Ventilate crawl spaces under cabinets.
Remove all wood debris and formica kickboards. Ensure cabinets are not in direct contact with soil. Work with a pest control professional to implement preventative treatments.
Catching a termite problem early provides the best chance to limit damage. Now that you know what to look for, inspect cabinets regularly for any signs of an infestation. Addressing issues promptly can help safeguard your kitchen from destruction.
At the first sign of termites, take action before these voracious pests can multiply and ruin your cabinets. Look for mud tubes, holes, hollow wood, and other red flags. Protect your home by facing problems head-on.