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

Break open the tubes to determine if termites continue to be busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they might have just abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it is another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that may be observable for years (an indication that a home 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 really lives in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony normally contain substances other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

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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 using the customary soil treatment (see below) and therefore are generally excluded from a termite contract warranty. In these situations, finding and correcting the moisture problem is the first step to eliminating the termites. .

We tend to think about termites as feeding/injuring timber 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 may tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In fact, 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 cease. If the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action might continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage usually takes about 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate method for determining the age of recently found damage. view website You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no damage to this specific wood. This is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of these inspections) are important. .

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

If you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately 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 and provide you with the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to correct any termite problems they found.

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Termites do not cause significant harm in a brief time period, so spending a few added days or even a few weeks will not make any real difference in terms how much damage happens. .

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

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood can kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it protect your house from future attacks . The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" 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 homes with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall must be treated at least within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the home are also treated.

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

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