Fascination About Termite Control Products

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 traveling inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" that they build from dirt, wood contaminants and other substances. 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 gonethey may have just abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which can be another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that may be visible for years (an indication that a house had termite activity at any 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 built 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 comprehensive 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 therefore are typically excluded from a termite contract warranty. In these situations, finding and correcting the moisture problem is the very first step to eliminating the termites. .

We tend to think about termites as feeding/injuring timber 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 may tunnel through non-cellulosic materials, such as plastic and foamboard.

The Of Termite Control Process

In fact, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on many aspects. 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 action may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage usually takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There is no accurate way of determining the age of recently found 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. 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 covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that might suggest that harm does exist and further investigation is needed.

If you have 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, 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 problems description that 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 actual difference in terms just how much damage happens. .

Can there be harm That Needs to Be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are performed

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of available 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 by termites. The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding critical areas of your residence.

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The soil is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated at least within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (for official site example, piers) underneath the home are also treated.

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

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