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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the ground surface or out in the open. They will either tunnel through the soil or into wood (or other stuff ) or else traveling inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" that they build from soil, wood contaminants and other substances. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different areas of the house.

Split open the tubes to see if termites are still active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have simply 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 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 upper levels of a building may indicate that 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 through an aboveground colony usually 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 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 are typically excluded from 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 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 may tunnel through non-cellulosic materials, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In fact, the amount of damage that termites cause depends article source on many factors. In regions with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily cease. When 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 generally takes about 3-8 years. .

There is no accurate way of determining the era of recently discovered harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no damage to this specific 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 insured or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that may suggest that look what i found harm does exist and further investigation is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the issue. If you do not own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your house and provide you with the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to fix any termite problems they found.

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

Can there be damage that should be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are done

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your house 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 crucial areas of your residence.

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The soil is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall has to be treated within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house are also treated.

When implemented correctly, this treatment forms a continuous chemical barrier that should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in Find Out More your residence. .

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