Do Termites Make Noise?

You may know how to recognize termite damage, but once this damage is recognized, repairs may be impossible. Termites are not only small, but they are also notorious for causing damage that is not noticed until serious damage occurs, such as a collapse, or clear termite trails on wood. So how can termite damage be prevented? How can you know, if, at the moment, termites are eating away at your home’s wood? Well, as it happens, termites do make noise.

As you can guess, the noise caused by termite activity is very subtle, and cannot be heard during the active daytime hours. At night, however, termite damage can be perceived by fine ears. The sounds termites make can sound like snapping, or popping. The sound of tapping on hollow wood is also a common sign of a termite infestation. What you are hearing in such cases is not termites eating; instead you are hearing tiny wooden fibers snapping and breaking apart. If you do happen to hear subtle, yet noticeably out of place sounds coming from your wall, ceiling, or floorboards late at night, then you likely have a termite infestation. Termites can also make rustling sounds, similar to paper being crushed at very low volumes.

Termites are active around the clock, so there is no time of day in which termites are resting, and not destroying your home. Formosan termites, which are active in the southeastern region of the United States, will bang their heads against wood. Formosans do this in order to communicate with other members of their colony. This head-banging can also make sounds that are perceivable to human ears. Termites are not aware of the sound they make because they are deaf, but their head-banging causes vibrations that signal fellow termites.

It must be mentioned that strange sounds emanating from your walls at night could be caused by many things other than termites. For example, pipelines that are contracting, the vibrations of certain home apparatuses, or the wind blowing gutters or shingles. If you hear sounds similar to the ones listed, then it may be time for a termite inspection.

If you have experienced a termite infestation, do you recall hearing such noises prior to learning of your past infestation?