Grab a flashlight. Visit your basement, crawl space or around the exterior of your home and look for tubes the diameter of a pencil and made of dirt either against the surface or free standing. They disappear into cracks of masonry, in and around doors and window frames or along siding. Termites travel through these mud tubes on their way from the soil to a food source.

Termites eat wood from the inside out, so damaged wood is hard to find. Break open hollow-sounding wall studs, baseboards and floors. Inside the wood, a honeycombed pattern is typical, as termites feed along the grain on the softer spring growth. Their excavations often are packed with soil. Worst-case scenario: bulging walls.

You might actually run across live termites while doing home remodeling. They're soft, light-colored and rarely more than 10 mm long (about the size of grains of rice). They move away quickly when exposed to light.

If you've seen any of these signs, it's a pretty safe bet you've got termites. If you haven't, keep your eyes open. Better yet, get a professional who has seen them all "and more" a hundred times before. Remember, termites are adept at hide-and-seek. The absence of all of these signs is no proof you're home free. In other words, you can do a great job of seeking and still lose the game.