The 15-Minute Termite Check: A Room-by-Room Guide for North Texas Homeowners

You don't need to be a pest control expert to spot early warning signs of termite activity—you just need to know where to look. Most homeowners walk past potential red flags every day without realizing it. With peak termite season underway, now is the perfect time to walk through your home. This quick guide will show you exactly where termites hide in North Texas homes and what to check in each area.

Start Outside: Your Foundation Perimeter

Grab a flashlight and walk the exterior of your home, paying close attention to the base of your foundation where it meets the soil. In North Texas, subterranean termites must maintain contact with soil moisture, so they build covered highways—mud tubes—to travel between ground and wood. Check corners, areas where pipes or wires enter the home, and anywhere the foundation steps up or down. Tubes can be as thin as a pencil or as wide as your hand, depending on colony size.

While you're outside, look at any wood that contacts or comes close to soil: fence posts within a few feet of the house, deck supports, porch steps, door frames, and window wells. Termites love these easy entry points.

The Garage: An Overlooked Entry Point

Attached garages are termite highways that most homeowners never think to inspect. Check the wall where your garage connects to the main house—this shared wall often contains the wooden framing that termites target. Look at the base of the garage door frame, especially if it's wooden or if the concrete slab has cracks where it meets the walls.

Stored cardboard boxes, old newspapers, and wooden shelving give termites additional food sources while they work their way toward your home's structure. If you're storing items against the walls, pull them back periodically to inspect behind them.

Bathrooms and Kitchen: Follow the Water

Any room with plumbing deserves extra attention. Termites need moisture, and even small leaks create the damp conditions they thrive in. Check under sinks for signs of water damage or soft spots in the cabinet floor. Look at caulking around tubs and showers—if water is getting behind tiles or into walls, termites will find it.

In the kitchen, pay attention to the area around your dishwasher and refrigerator water line. Pull out the refrigerator once a year and check for leaks or moisture damage on the wall and flooring behind it. These hidden, humid spaces are exactly what termites are looking for.

Windows and Doors: The Squeeze Points

Door and window frames experience constant stress from opening and closing, and they're often made of wood that extends close to exterior walls. If a door suddenly becomes harder to close or a window sticks when it didn't before, don't automatically blame humidity or settling—termite damage causes wood to warp and swell.

Check the sills of your windows, especially those on the ground floor. These horizontal surfaces collect moisture and are prime targets for termites entering from outside. Tap on wooden frames with your knuckle or a screwdriver handle—you're listening for a hollow sound that indicates the wood has been eaten from within.

The Attic: Yes, Termites Go Up

Many homeowners assume termites only attack ground-level structures, but subterranean termites will travel through wall voids to reach attic spaces—especially if there's a moisture issue from a roof leak or poor ventilation. Formosan termites, which have been found in isolated cases across North Texas, can even build aerial colonies that don't require soil contact at all.

When you're in the attic, check wooden rafters and joists with a flashlight. Look for any signs of mud material on the wood—this is the remnant of tubes termites use to travel. Pay extra attention to areas near bathroom vent pipes or anywhere you've had past roof leaks.

Crawl Spaces: Ground Zero

If your home has a crawl space, this is where termite problems often start—and where they go undetected the longest. Grab your flashlight and check floor joists, support beams, and any wood touching or near the ground. Look at concrete piers for mud tubes climbing upward. Check for excessive moisture, standing water, or condensation on pipes, all of which increase termite risk significantly.

Vapor barriers (plastic sheeting over soil) should be intact and covering as much exposed dirt as possible. Damaged or missing barriers allow moisture to rise from the soil, creating exactly the humid environment termites need.

What to Do If Something Looks Wrong

Found something suspicious? Don't disturb it. Breaking open mud tubes or pulling at damaged wood can cause termites to retreat and relocate, making professional detection harder. Instead, take photos, note the location, and call for a professional inspection. What you've found could be old damage, current activity, or something else entirely—but only a trained eye can tell the difference.

Think you spotted something? Don't wait to find out. Call Bug Zone at (972) 867-9800 for a thorough inspection. We'll tell you exactly what you're dealing with—and what to do about it. Schedule online at bugzonepest.com.