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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 timber (or other stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"sand tubes" they assemble from dirt, wood contaminants and other substances. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different areas of the home.

Split open the tubes to determine if termites continue to be active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they may have just abandoned this specific 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 which could be visible 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 that you have an aboveground ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually lives in the building and the termites are traveling up from the ground. Mud tubes built by an aboveground colony normally contain substances 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 customary soil treatment (see below) and therefore 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 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 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 cease. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action might continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age of recently discovered 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. This is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. . you can check here

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

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the issue. Should you not own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your home and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to fix any termite conditions that they found.

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

Can there be damage that should be repaired or 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 block the infestation nor does it protect your home from potential attacks . The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your residence.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For homes 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 cases, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house can also be treated.

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

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