It surprises many people, but when I’m inspecting an older home with a newer addition, I’m more likely to find termites in the addition. The main culprit is Douglas fir, the wood most commonly used to frame homes today.

There are two key reasons for this. First, builders don’t typically use fully seasoned wood during construction. As the wood seasons after installation, it develops cracks that make it easier for termites to get inside, even through painted surfaces. Second, Douglas fir is softer and holds more moisture than redwood, which makes it especially attractive to termites.

In the home in the video, a second story had been added, giving the house two attics—one in the original section and another in the new addition upstairs. The first-floor attic, framed with redwood, showed no signs of termites. But in the upstairs attic, it was a different story. I found droppings scattered throughout, along with a giant pile of wings left behind from a termite swarm.