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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 material) or else traveling inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" they build from soil, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different parts of the home.

Split open the tubes to see if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey might have simply abandoned this particular 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 could be observable for years (an indication that a home had termite activity at any time).

Tubes which 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 actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the ground. Mud tubes built by an aboveground colony normally 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 generally deducted by 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 about termites as feeding/injuring timber only. Termites actually feed on almost 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 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 stop. 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 usually takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate method for determining the age of recently discovered damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when 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: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas that are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply 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 problem. If you do not have a termite contract, telephone 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 plan of action to correct any termite conditions they found.

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Termites do not cause significant damage in a short period of time, 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 examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are performed

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it shield your home from future attacks by termites. The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding critical areas of your residence.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For houses with go to this site crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall must be treated within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the home can also be 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, as an instance, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.