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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the ground surface or out in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into timber (or other stuff ) or else traveling inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" they build from dirt, wood particles and other materials. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other parts of the house.

Split open the tubes to see if termites continue to be active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they may have simply abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which can be another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which may be observable for years (an indication that a house had termite activity at some 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 really lives in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes built by an aboveground colony usually 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 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 excluded 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 of termites as feeding/injuring wood 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 newspaper covering of sheet rock, carpeting, etc.. While foraging and feeding, they could 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 published here many aspects. In regions with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily stop. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action might continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage usually takes about 3-8 years. .

There is no accurate method for determining the era of recently discovered damage. 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 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 harm in areas that are not insured or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

If you've our website got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the problem. If you do not own a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to fix any termite conditions that they found.

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

Is there harm that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Simply 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 home from potential attacks by termites. The most common sort 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 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 (such as piers) underneath the home can also be treated.

When implemented 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.