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

Break open the tubes to see if termites are still active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have simply abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it 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 years (an indication that a home had termite activity at any time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on upper levels of a building may indicate you have an aboveground ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony usually contain materials other than dirt, 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 usual soil treatment (see below) and are typically deducted by 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 of termites as feeding/injuring timber only. Termites really feed on virtually anything that 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 substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In fact, 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 cease. If the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action might continue year-round. From a practical click here for info perspective, 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 particular wood. That can be 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 damage in areas which are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to take a look at the issue. If you do not own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to correct any termite conditions that they found.

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

Is there harm that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are performed

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood can kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it protect your home from potential attacks by termites. The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated within 4 feet This Site of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house are also treated.

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

Concrete slabs which attach to the home, as an additional info instance, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.