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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble 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 traveling inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" they build from dirt, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other areas 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 gonethey might have simply abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it can be another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that could 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 actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes built through 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 necessitate elimination 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 very first step to eliminating the termites. .

We tend to think about termites as feeding/injuring wood 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 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 areas with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily cease. If the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then activity may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage usually 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 there was no damage to this specific wood. This is 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 insured or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might suggest that harm does exist and further investigation is needed.

If you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to take a look at the issue. If you do not have a termite contract, call 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 look at this website to correct any termite problems that they found.

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Termites do not cause significant damage in a short time period, so spending a couple of 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 Needs to Be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are performed

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your house from future attacks . The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" 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 houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the home are also treated.

When implemented 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, for instance, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.