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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 traveling inside pencil-size (or bigger )"sand tubes" that they build from dirt, wood particles and other materials. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other parts of the home.

Break open the tubes to determine if termites are still active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have just 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 any time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on upper levels of a building may indicate you have an aboveground ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling up 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 such 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 timber only. Termites actually feed on almost 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 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. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action may 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 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 specific wood. That can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

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

In case you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the problem. If you do not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home try this and offer you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to correct 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 few extra days or even a couple weeks will not make any real 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 measures are done

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your home from future attacks by termites. The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" in which 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 about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall has to be treated within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the home are also treated.

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

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