Termites Eat Right Through American Homes and Most Owners Won't See It Coming

Survey reveals dangerous gaps in termite awareness as the nation's most destructive pest enters peak season 

FAIRFAX, Va. – March 2, 2026 – Every year, termites silently eat through hundreds of thousands of American homes, and most homeowners don’t know it's happening until the damage is already done. According to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), these pests cause an estimated $6.8 billion in property damage annually, a staggering figure made worse by the fact that standard homeowners insurance policies almost universally exclude termite damage from coverage. As peak termite season arrives, NPMA is urging homeowners to act now during Termite Awareness Week, March 1-7, 2026, before termites turn a preventable problem into a costly one. 

According to a survey conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of NPMA, only 58% of U.S. homeowners are aware of the damage termites can cause to buildings and structures. Even more striking, fewer than half of homeowners (45%) believe that termite prevention is more cost-effective than repairing termite damage — a misconception that could leave millions of properties vulnerable to infestations that are entirely preventable. 

"Termites have been around for more than 120 million years, and their colony structure is extraordinarily efficient," said Jim Fredericks, senior vice president of public affairs for NPMA. "By the time a homeowner notices something is wrong, a colony may have been quietly feeding inside their walls for years. That's exactly what makes this data so alarming, and why we can't stress enough how important it is to get a professional inspection every single year." 

Signs of a Termite Infestation 

The survey found that only 36% of homeowners are familiar with the common signs of a termite infestation. NPMA urges homeowners to watch for the following warning signs: 

For more information on termites, how to identify an infestation, and to find a licensed pest control professional in your area, visit www.PestWorld.org. Homeowners can also explore NPMA's educational resources that demonstrate the destructive nature of termites firsthand, including Tiny Termite House, a built-to-scale home revealing how quickly termites can compromise a structure's integrity, and Will They Eat It?, a video series that puts termites' voracious appetite to the test.