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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the soil surface or outside in the open. They will either tunnel through the soil or into wood (or other stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" they assemble from soil, wood contaminants and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different 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 can be another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are dry 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 ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes constructed by an aboveground colony normally 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 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 typically deducted 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 almost 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 factors. 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 activity might continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage generally takes about 3-8 years. .

There's absolutely 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. This is 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 damage in areas which are not insured or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that may suggest that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

In case you site have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the issue. Should you 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 fix any termite problems that they found.

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

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

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood can kill the termites which you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your house from future attacks by termites. The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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The soil 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 cases, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the house can also be 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 pop over to this web-site an instance, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.