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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the soil surface or outside in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into timber (or other material) or else traveling inside pencil-size (or larger)"sand tubes" they build from dirt, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different parts of the house.

Break open the tubes to determine if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey might have simply abandoned this specific 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 which may be observable for decades (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 ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes built by an aboveground colony usually contain substances 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 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 therefore 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 virtually anything which 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 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 Web Site does not necessarily stop. When 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 generally takes approximately 3-8 years. .

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 specific wood. That 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 that 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 additional investigation is needed.

If you have 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 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 damage in a brief time period, so spending a couple of added days or even a couple weeks will not make any actual difference in terms how much damage occurs. .

Is there harm that should be repaired or at least examined by a contractor http://www.innovativepestcontrol.com.au/ or engineer before control measures are performed

Simply spraying swarmers 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" where 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 about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall has to be treated 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 forms a continuous chemical barrier that should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in your residence. .

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