Yes, definitely. The photo above is from an actual termite inspection for a homebuyer in Gainesville, Florida. By the time that a termite colony’s galleries (the tunnels they eat through the wood) become visible as linear cratering of the surface of the wood, they can already have done a tremendous amount of damage to the structure of the home. Because they eat the wood right up to the surface of the paint, but not through it, damage is usually first noticed as long soft areas that, when probed, collapse and drop out bits of debris, as in the photo above.

    The seller’s realtor insisted that “I had my contractor look at that, and he says there is absolutely no damage to the wall.” Apparently her “contractor” had x-ray vision. We insisted that the wall be opened up, per Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services standards for termite damage findings, to verify her amazing statement.

  These two photos below show what the inside of the wall above that small area of visible damage looked like. The lower photo is a close-up of one of the wall studs that has been completely destroyed by termites. Because the termite-eaten wall was a bearing wall (structural members above depended on it for support), the damage represented a threat to the structural integrity of the home. A little less than twenty feet of wall had to be replaced.

    Sometimes the baseboard damage has been caulked over before repainting to sell the house, as in the photo below. Probing any repaired areas helps an inspector to determine what’s underneath.

   It’s important to know that termite damage uncovered could also have been a smaller area, and that is often the case. The only way to tell for sure is further probing and evaluation.

   Also, only a licensed pest control operator can verify that damage has been caused by termites, or one of several other wood-destroying organisms.

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To learn more about termites, see these other blog posts:

• Should I be worried about termites if my neighbor's house is being tented?

• Is the WDO (termite) inspector allowed to poke holes in my wood siding and trim? 

• Do carpenter ants cause structural damage to houses in Florida?

• How long before closing can you have a WDO (termite) inspection done?

• How long does Bora-Care® last? 

• Why is it a mistake to store lumber in the crawl space under a house?

• Does the presence of carpenter ants in a house indicate that there are probably also termites? 

• How do termites infest a house and remain hidden while doing major damage?

• Are homes in Florida required to have termite protection? 

• If termite damage appears to be old, does that mean that termites may no longer be present?

• How do I know if my WDO/termite report is "clear"? 

• When do termites swarm in Florida?

• Does a recent termite company inspection sticker mean there are no termites? 

• Can a mobile/manufactured home get termites?

• Do I have to tent the house if I have termites? 

• What is the difference between a subterranean termite and a drywood termite?

• What are the green plastic discs in the ground around the house? 

• What is a termite shield?

• How do termites get into a concrete block house? 

• Do termites eat concrete?

• What is a clean WDO?  

• What do termites eat?

• How do I treat wood rot  that's listed in my termite-WDO report? 

• Do I really need a termite-WDO inspection? 

• What's causing those holes in the fascia?

• Does wood chip mulch in the yard attract termites?

• I think I have termites. What does a termite look like?

• I'm buying a concrete block house. Do I still need a termite inspection? 

   Visit our TERMITES, WOOD ROT AND PESTS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.