Termite Control Procedure - The Facts

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the soil 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 )"sand tubes" they assemble from soil, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different areas of the house.

Split open the tubes to see 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 dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which may be observable for years (an indication that a house had termite activity at some time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on top levels of a building may indicate that you have an aboveground ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the ground. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony normally contain substances other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything 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 using the usual soil treatment (see below) and therefore are generally deducted by a termite contract warranty. In such 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 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 substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In reality, 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 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 termite damage usually takes about 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate method for determining the era of recently found harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known there was no harm to this particular wood. That can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of these inspections) are important. .

NOTE: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or damage in areas that more information are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might suggest that damage does exist and further 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 issue. If you do not own a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and provide you with the details of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to fix any termite conditions 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 couple weeks will not make any real difference in terms how much damage occurs. .

Is there damage that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps 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 sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas my site of your residence.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the her explanation dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated at least within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house can also be 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 which attach to the home, for example, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.