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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the soil surface or outside in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into wood (or other material) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"sand tubes" that they build from dirt, wood contaminants and other substances. 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 busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they might have simply abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which is another indication of current action. '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 any time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on top 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 up from the ground. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony usually contain substances other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever 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 customary soil treatment (see below) and are typically deducted by 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 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 substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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

There is no accurate method for determining the age of recently found damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no harm to this specific wood. That is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records go to this web-site of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All these inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or damage in areas which are not covered or not readily visit this page seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might suggest that damage 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 take a look at the issue. If you do not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your home and offer you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to correct any termite problems that they found.

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

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 may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it shield your home from future attacks by termites. The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to the soil surrounding crucial areas of your residence.

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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 circumstances, the soil around supports (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.