Little Known Questions About Termite Control Products.

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam 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 )"mud tubes" that they build from dirt, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other 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 simply abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which is another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which could be observable for decades (an indication that a home had termite activity at some time).

Tubes that 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 soil. 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.

Getting The Termite Control Procedure To Work

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 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 of termites as feeding/injuring timber only. Termites really 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 substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

The smart Trick of Termite Control Process That Nobody is Talking About

In fact, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on many factors. In areas with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily stop. If the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then activity may continue year-round. From a practical perspective, serious termite damage usually takes about 3-8 years. .

There is no accurate method for 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 harm to this specific wood. That can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or damage in areas that are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections that site can reveal conditions that may imply that damage does exist and further investigation is needed.

In case you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the problem. If you do not own a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your home and provide you with the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to correct any termite conditions they found.

The Best Guide To Termite Control Products

Termites do not cause significant harm in a short period of time, 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 harm that should be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are performed

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood can 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 termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

Not known Incorrect Statements About Termite Control Procedure

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

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

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