How do you deal with termites at home?

Signs of termites

The main signs of termites are mud tubes, hollow-sounding timber, sagging door frames, discarded wings and small piles of soil. A pest control company is the one to inspect your home and treat them. Before arranging termite control, Singapore homeowners and tenants can check for these signs:

• Mud tubes on walls or door frames.
• Timber that sounds hollow when you tap it, such as door frames, skirting or built-in cabinets.
• Door frames that sag.
• Discarded wings near lights or windows.
• Small piles of soil with no obvious source.
• Blistered paint on walls or timber.

Blistered paint and cracks can have other causes, so do not treat one of these signs as proof on its own. If you mainly see cracks in plaster or along a wall, the guide on wall cracks explains what to check. Write down where each sign appears and when you first noticed it, since this helps the company during the inspection.

What to do first

Keep the evidence in place for the inspection and protect your belongings:

1. Leave the tubes alone. Do not break, scrape or spray the mud tubes. Disturbing them can scatter the colony to other parts of the home.
2. Photograph and mark the spots. Take clear photos of each sign, then mark the spots with masking tape or on a simple sketch of the room.
3. Move items away from the wall. Shift boxes and furniture away from the affected wall so the technician can reach it and you can check them for damage.
4. Book an inspection. Ask a pest control company to inspect, confirm the extent and give you a written treatment plan before any work starts.

If you rent, send the photos to your landlord or agent before you book anything.

Termite treatment: how companies treat them

The National Environment Agency (NEA) explains in its background note on SS 721:2025 that this Singapore Standard for pest management services incorporates Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles. These are prevention first, which means eliminating root causes rather than treating symptoms; a multi-method approach combining physical, biological and chemical controls; risk-based assessment; and reduced chemical dependency with low-toxicity alternatives. The standard encourages pest control operators to implement IPM and service buyers to specify IPM requirements in contracts.

If the plan includes soil treatment with termiticide, NEA says pest control operators and site owners must ensure it does not pollute water resources. Termiticide must not be spilled or discharged into open drains or public sewers. Pest control operators must also apply for a Hazardous Substances Licence/Permit to sell, buy or use termiticides containing controlled hazardous substances.

Before you agree to a plan, ask whether it uses baiting, soil treatment or both, and why that suits your home. Ask how many visits it includes, which product will be used and whether the company holds the licence/permit for any termiticide with controlled hazardous substances. Ask for a service report that sets out what was found and treated. For wider answers, see these pest control questions.

Choosing a pest control company

On its Vector Control Operators page, NEA advises members of the public to make sure vector control services, whatever the type of service provider, are bought from licensed Vector Control Operators (VCOs). The VCO ensures its technicians and workers are licensed or certified and gives a service report and recommendations at agreed intervals. NEA's circular on vector control licensing names the vectors as mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, rats and rat fleas. Termites are not on that list, so if you also want help with cockroaches, rats or mosquitoes, this advice applies to that part of the job.

For the termite work, compare companies on the inspection and the plan. Ask each one to inspect before it quotes, explain what it found and put the method, number of visits and follow-up checks in writing. Ask which product it will use and what the label says about children and pets. Price depends on the job, so compare written plans that cover the same scope. The guide on how to hire a pest control company covers the wider checks.

Repairs after treatment

Replace damaged door frames, cabinets or skirting only after the company confirms the colony is controlled. New timber fitted earlier can be damaged by the same colony, and you could end up paying for the repair twice. When you refit cabinets or move timber furniture back, keep the timber off damp walls. A handyman can then replace damaged frames or cabinet panels and rehang doors.

A door that sticks after treatment is not always termite damage. HDB's home care guide says a door that is hard to open or close usually has loose hinge screws, especially at the upper hinge, and that you should tighten them. It also advises oiling all locks, hinges and other moving parts. If the door still catches, see what to do when a door is jammed before you replace the frame.

Questions