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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the ground 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" they assemble 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 determine if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they might have just 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 which may be observable for decades (an indication that a house 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 substances 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 elimination of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled using the usual soil treatment (see below) and are typically deducted from a termite contract warranty. In such 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 wood only. Termites actually 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 may 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 areas with cold winter view 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 perspective, serious termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

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 that there was no harm to this specific 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 reference guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas which are not covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that may suggest 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 problem. Should you not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your house and provide you with the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to correct any termite problems that they found.

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

Is there harm 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 can kill the termites that i loved this you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it protect your home from future attacks . The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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

When applied 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, for example, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.