What Does Termite Control Process Mean?

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

Split open the tubes to determine if termites are still active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may 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 that may be observable for years (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 resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes constructed 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 using the usual soil treatment (see below) and therefore are typically excluded from 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 wood only. Termites actually feed on virtually 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 materials, 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. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action might continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age of recently discovered damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when click here to read it was known there was no damage to this particular wood. This is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All these inspections are not a 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 may imply that damage does exist and further investigation is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to take a look at 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 course of action to fix any termite conditions 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 how much damage occurs. .

Is there harm That Needs to Be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control view website steps are done

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 shield your home from potential attacks . The Visit This Link most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding critical areas of your house.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall has to be treated at least within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the home can also be treated.

When applied correctly, this treatment forms a continuous chemical barrier that should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in your residence. .

Concrete slabs which attach to the house, as an example, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.