Termite Control Process for Beginners

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the soil surface or out in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into timber (or other stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" that they assemble from dirt, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different areas of the home.

Break open the tubes to see if termites are still active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey might have simply abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it is another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that may be visible for decades (an indication that a house had termite activity at some time).

Tubes which are found on ceilings or on upper levels of a building may indicate that you have an aboveground ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really lives in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony normally contain materials other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

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In such situations, a thorough inspection may require elimination of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled using the usual soil treatment (see below) and therefore are typically deducted from a termite contract warranty. In such situations, finding and correcting the moisture problem is the first step to eliminating the termites. .

We tend to think of termites as feeding/injuring timber only. Termites really feed on virtually anything which contains cellulose, the main component of wood, including wood paneling, paper products, cardboard boxes, art canvases, the newspaper covering of sheet rock, carpeting, etc.. While foraging and feeding, they could tunnel through non-cellulosic materials, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In fact, the amount of damage see that termites cause depends on many factors. In regions with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily stop. If the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then activity might continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age of recently found damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known there was no damage to this particular wood. This can be one reason why click here for more info annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or damage in areas that are not insured or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

If you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the issue. Should you not own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your home and offer learn this here now you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to fix any termite problems they found.

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Termites do not cause significant damage in a short period of time, so spending a couple of added days or even a couple weeks will not make any actual difference in terms just how much damage happens. .

Is there harm that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are performed

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood can kill the termites that you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it protect your house from potential attacks by termites. The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to the soil surrounding critical areas of your house.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated at least within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house are also treated.

When implemented correctly, this treatment forms a continuous chemical barrier that should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in your house. .

Concrete slabs which attach to the house, for instance, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.