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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the ground surface or out in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into timber (or other material) or else traveling inside pencil-size (or bigger )"sand tubes" they assemble from dirt, wood contaminants and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other parts of the house.

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 simply abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it is another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that could be visible for decades (an indication that a home had termite activity at some time).

Tubes which are found on ceilings or on top 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 from the soil. Mud tubes constructed by an aboveground colony usually contain substances other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

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In such situations, a thorough inspection may require removal of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled with the customary soil treatment (see below) and therefore are generally excluded 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 timber only. Termites actually 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 materials, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In reality, the amount of harm that termites cause depends on many aspects. 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 activity may continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage generally takes about 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 damage to this particular wood. That can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of these inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All these inspections are not a More Help guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas that are not covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that might 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 issue. Should you not own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your house and offer you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to fix any termite conditions they found.

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

Can there be harm that should be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are performed

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

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The dirt blog here 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 (for example, piers) underneath the home can also be treated.

When applied correctly, this treatment forms a continuous chemical barrier that should prevent termites from reaching hop over to these guys the foundation and piers in your house. .

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