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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 travel inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" that they assemble from soil, wood contaminants and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other parts of the home.

Break open the tubes to see if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey might have just abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which is another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that may be observable for decades (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 you have an aboveground ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the ground. 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 thorough inspection may require elimination of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled with the customary soil treatment (see below) and are generally excluded by a termite contract warranty. In these 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 timber 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 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 might continue year-round. From a practical perspective, serious termite damage generally takes about 3-8 decades. .

There is no accurate way of determining the age 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. That is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of these inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All 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 suggest that damage does exist and additional 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 problem. If you do not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your house and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to correct any termite problems that they found.

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

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

Simply spraying swarmers click here for more info 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 protect your house from future attacks by termites. The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" 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 about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall must be treated at least helpful resources within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the house 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 residence. .

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