What Does Termite Control Process Do?

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the ground surface or outside in the open. They will either tunnel through the soil or into wood (or other stuff ) or else traveling inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" they assemble from soil, wood contaminants 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 can be another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that may be visible for years (an indication that a home had termite activity at any time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on upper levels of a building may indicate that you have an aboveground ("airborne") 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 materials 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 removal of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled with the usual soil treatment (see below) and therefore are generally deducted 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 that 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 fact, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on many factors. In regions 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 standpoint, severe termite damage usually takes about 3-8 browse around these guys decades. .

There is no accurate method for determining the era of recently discovered damage. 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: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas that are not insured or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that may suggest that harm does exist and further investigation is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the issue. Should you not have a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one Click Here inspect your house and provide you with the details of their findings and any recommendations for read this post here a course of action to correct 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 few weeks will not make any real difference in terms just how much damage occurs. .

Can there be harm that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood may kill the termites which you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it protect your home from potential attacks by termites. The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to the soil surrounding critical areas of your residence.

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The soil is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall must be treated within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house are also treated.

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

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