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

Split open the tubes to see if termites continue to be busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey might have just abandoned this particular 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 which may be visible 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 ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really lives in the building and the termites are traveling from the ground. Mud tubes built by an aboveground colony normally contain substances other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever the termites are feeding on.

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

We tend to think about termites as feeding/injuring wood only. Termites really feed on virtually anything which contains cellulose, the main component of wood, including wood paneling, paper products, cardboard boxes, art canvases, the paper 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 action may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There's absolutely no accurate method for determining the age of recently found harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known there was no damage to this particular wood. This can be 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 insured 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've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the issue. Should you not have a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your house and provide you with the details of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to correct any termite conditions they found.

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

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

Simply 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 protect your house from potential 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 soil is trenched browse around this site 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt pop over to this site 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 house can also be 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 house, as an example, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.