Things about Termite Control Procedure

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the soil surface or out 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 dirt, wood particles and other materials. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other parts of the home.

Break open the tubes to determine if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they may have just abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it can be 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 home had termite activity at some time).

Tubes which are found on ceilings or on top levels of a building may indicate you have an aboveground ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really lives in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes constructed by an aboveground colony normally contain materials 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 necessitate removal of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled using the usual soil treatment (see below) and therefore are generally excluded from a termite contract warranty. In such situations, finding and correcting the moisture problem is the first step to eliminating the termites. .

We tend to think of termites as feeding/injuring timber only. Termites actually feed on virtually 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 YOURURL.com feeding, they could tunnel through non-cellulosic materials, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In reality, the amount of harm that termites cause depends on many aspects. In areas 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 activity might continue year-round. From a practical perspective, serious termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age of recently found damage. 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: 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. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply that harm does exist and further investigation is needed.

In case you've got a termite protection Discover More contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the issue. Should you more not own a termite contract, telephone 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 plan of action to correct any termite problems that they found.

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

Can there be damage that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are performed

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood may kill the termites which you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it shield your house from future attacks . 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 dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall has to be treated at least within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for 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 house. .

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