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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 material) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" they build from soil, wood particles and other materials. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different parts of the house.

Break open the tubes to see if termites continue to be busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have just abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it can be another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which may be observable for decades (an indication that a home had termite activity at any time).

Tubes which are found on ceilings or on top levels of a building may indicate you have an aboveground ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes constructed through an aboveground colony normally contain substances 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 using the customary soil treatment (see below) and therefore are generally 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 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 paper 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 reality, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on 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 activity may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe termite damage usually takes about 3-8 years. .

There's absolutely no why not try this out accurate way of determining the era of recently found damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no damage to this particular wood. That can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All these inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or damage in areas which are not covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that may imply that harm does exist and additional investigation is needed.

If 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 have a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your house and provide you with the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to correct any termite problems 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 just how much damage occurs. .

Can there be 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 available infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it shield your house from potential attacks by termites. The most common sort of my response termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to the soil surrounding critical areas of your residence.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall must be treated within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the house can also be treated.

When applied correctly, this treatment forms a continuous chemical barrier that should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in your house. .

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