Termite Control Products Fundamentals Explained

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

Break open the tubes to see if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have just abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which can be another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that could be observable 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 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 constructed through an aboveground colony normally contain materials other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever the termites are feeding on.

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

We tend to think of termites as feeding/injuring wood only. Termites really feed on almost 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 could tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In reality, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on many aspects. In areas with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily stop. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then activity might continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage usually takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There is no accurate way of determining the age of recently discovered harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known there was no harm to this particular wood. That is one reason why 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 harm in areas which are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and her response arrange for them to check out the problem. Should you not have a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and offer you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to fix any termite conditions that they found.

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

Can there be damage that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

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

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

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

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