Some Known Facts About Termite Control Products.

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the ground surface or outside in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into timber (or other material) or else travel inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" they build from dirt, wood particles and other substances. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other areas of the house.

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

Tubes that 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 actually lives in the building and the termites are traveling from the ground. Mud tubes constructed through an aboveground colony normally contain substances other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

The Facts About Termite Control Process Revealed

In such situations, a comprehensive inspection may require elimination of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled with the customary soil treatment (see below) and 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 about termites as feeding/injuring wood only. Termites really feed on virtually anything that 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 may tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In reality, the amount of harm 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 action might continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe termite damage usually takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

There is no accurate method for determining the era of recently discovered damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known there was no damage to this particular wood. That is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of these inspections) view it are important. .

NOTE: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas that are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that may imply that harm does exist and further investigation is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the problem. Should you not own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your house and provide you with the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to fix any termite problems that 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 occurs. .

Is there harm That Needs to Be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood can kill the termites which you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it shield your home from potential attacks . The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to the soil surrounding critical areas of your residence.

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The soil is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall must be treated at least within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports Read More Here (such as piers) underneath the house are also treated.

When applied correctly, this treatment forms a continuous chemical barrier which should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in your residence. .

Concrete slabs which attach to the home, as an example, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.