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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 timber (or other stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" that they build from soil, wood particles 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 gone; they might have simply abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it is another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that 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 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 ground. Mud tubes constructed through an aboveground colony usually contain materials other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever the termites are feeding on.

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In such situations, a comprehensive inspection may necessitate elimination 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 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 of termites as feeding/injuring wood only. Termites actually feed on almost 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 damage that termites cause depends on many factors. 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 may continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage usually takes about 3-8 decades. .

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 particular wood. This can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of these inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All 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 harm does exist and additional investigation is needed.

In case you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to take a look at the issue. Should you not own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and provide you with the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to see this here fix any termite problems that they found.

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

Is there damage That Needs to Be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are done

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

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated within 4 ft 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 forms a continuous chemical barrier which should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in your residence. .

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