More About Termite Control Process

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

Break open the tubes to determine if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they may have just abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which can be another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that could be visible for years (an indication that a home had termite activity at some 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 usually contain substances other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

Some Known Facts About Termite Control Products.

In such situations, a comprehensive inspection may require 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 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 about 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 could tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

Excitement About Termite Control Products

In reality, 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 action might continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe more tips here 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 there was no damage to this particular wood. This 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 which are not insured 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've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the problem. 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.

Some Ideas on Termite Control Process You Should Know

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

Is there damage that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are performed

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood can kill the termites which you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it protect your house from potential attacks by termites. The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding critical areas of your house.

Get This Report about Termite Control Process

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

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

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