How to Tell If You Have Termites: 10 Warning Signs Aussie Homeowners Miss

Termites cost Australian homeowners over $1.5 billion in property damage every year, according to University of Technology Sydney research. The worst part? Most homeowners have no idea they have an infestation until the damage is already done.

These pests do not announce themselves. They work silently, hidden inside your walls, under your floors, and through your roof timbers. By the time you notice something is wrong, they may have been eating through your home for months.

The good news is that termites do leave signs. You just need to know what to look for. Here are the 10 warning signs that Sydney and Central Coast homeowners miss most often, and what to do if you spot any of them.

Why Sydney and Central Coast Homes Are Particularly Vulnerable

Sydney's warm, humid climate is ideal for termites. The most destructive species in the region, including subterranean termites like Coptotermes acinaciformis, thrive in the moisture-rich soil found throughout Sydney's suburbs and along the Central Coast. Homes built close to bushland, near waterways, or with older timber framing face the highest risk.

The Central Coast's lifestyle properties and older housing stock make it a particularly active area for termite activity. If your home has timber flooring, a timber frame, or landscaped gardens against the house, the risk is real.

10 Warning Signs You Have Termites

1. Mud Tubes on Walls or Foundations

Subterranean termites build mud tubes, narrow tunnels roughly the width of a pencil, to travel between their underground colony and their food source (your home). You will typically find these along exterior walls, foundations, concrete piers, or inside your subfloor.

If you spot one, do not disturb it. Break it open if you want to check for live activity, but call a professional straight away.

2. Hollow-Sounding Timber

Knock on your skirting boards, door frames, or timber floors. Solid timber produces a firm thud. Timber that has been eaten out from the inside produces a hollow, papery sound.

Termites eat wood from the inside out, leaving only a thin outer shell. By the time it sounds hollow, significant damage has already occurred.

3. Tight-Fitting Doors and Windows

If your doors or windows have started sticking or becoming difficult to open and close, termite activity may be the cause. As termites tunnel through timber frames, they produce moisture, which causes the wood to warp and swell.

This sign is easy to dismiss as a weather or humidity issue, which is exactly why it gets missed so often.

4. Frass Near Skirting Boards or Windowsills

Frass is termite droppings. Drywood termites push their droppings out of the timber through small kick-out holes, leaving tiny piles of what looks like sawdust or sand near the base of walls, windowsills, or doorframes.

If you notice small sandy or powdery piles and cannot explain where they came from, do not sweep them away just yet. Take a photo and call a pest inspector.

5. Bubbling or Uneven Paint on Walls

Paint that is bubbling, blistering, or lifting off an interior wall with no water leak behind it can indicate termite activity. The moisture produced as termites tunnel through the wall cavity causes paint to lose adhesion.

This is one of the most commonly misidentified signs. Many homeowners repaint the wall and never investigate the cause.

6. Sagging or Spongy Floors

If a section of your timber floor feels soft, springy, or slightly sunken underfoot, it is worth investigating immediately. Termites eating through the subfloor joists or floorboards weaken structural integrity, creating that spongy sensation.

Left untreated, this can progress to floors that actually collapse. Get it checked before it reaches that point.

7. Discarded Wings Near Windows or Doorways

Termite swarmers (alates) are winged reproductive termites that leave the colony to establish new ones. They shed their wings shortly after landing, leaving small piles of translucent wings near windowsills, doorways, or light fittings.

Finding discarded wings is a strong indicator of an active colony nearby. Swarming typically happens in spring and early summer in Sydney, so this is a sign to watch for between September and January.

8. Visible Tunnelling in Exposed Timber

In subfloor areas, garden retaining walls, or old timber structures, you may be able to see the galleries (tunnels) termites carve through wood. These appear as a network of channels running along the grain.

If you can see this in your subfloor, the infestation is already well established. A professional inspection is urgent.

9. Small Holes in Drywall or Timber

Tiny pin-sized holes in your plasterboard, skirting boards, or timber frames can be exit or entry points for termites. These holes are often surrounded by slight discolouration or a faint dark ring.

Combined with any of the other signs on this list, small holes in internal walls should be treated as a serious red flag.

10. Strange Clicking or Rustling Sounds Inside Walls

Put your ear against a wall you are concerned about in a quiet room. Soldier termites bang their heads against tunnel walls to signal danger to the colony, producing a faint clicking or rustling sound.

It is subtle, but in a silent room it is detectable. If you hear it, there is a good chance a colony is active inside that wall.

The Difference Between Termites and White Ants

There is no difference. White ants and termites are the same insect. The term "white ant" is commonly used across Australia, but it can create confusion. Termites are not related to ants at all; they belong to a completely different insect order.

Regardless of what you call them, if you see white, soft-bodied insects working through timber in your home, treat it as a termite sighting and act immediately.

What to Do If You Spot Any of These Signs

If you notice any of the signs above, the right move is to:

• Stop disturbing the area
• Take photos of what you have found
• Call a licensed pest inspector as soon as possible

How Much Does a Termite Inspection Cost in Sydney?

A termite inspection in Australia usually costs between $250 and $500, depending on the size and location of the property. Inspections using specialised equipment, such as thermal imaging and moisture meters, sit at the higher end of that range.

Knockdown Pest Control uses FLIR thermal camera technology to detect termite activity with greater accuracy than standard visual inspections. To book an inspection or get a quote, call 1300 262 463.

Why Early Detection Saves You Thousands

Repair costs for termite damage in Australia can run from a few thousand dollars to well over $100,000, depending on how long the colony has been active and how much structural timber has been compromised.

A Queensland Department of Works study put typical repairs at $18,000 to $50,000 per property, and severe cases go far higher: one Mudgeeraba homeowner paid more than $200,000 after termites hollowed out the wall studs. Because standard home insurance policies exclude termite damage, that cost falls entirely on you.

Common Questions About Termites

Book a Termite Inspection with Knockdown Pest Control

If anything on this list sounds familiar, do not wait. Knockdown Pest Control has over 20 years of experience treating termite infestations across Sydney and the Central Coast. The team uses FLIR thermal imaging cameras and moisture metres to detect termite activity with accuracy that standard visual inspections cannot match.

Call 1300 262 463 for a free, no-obligation quote, or visit the termite pest control page to learn more.

The sooner you act, the better.