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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the ground 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 bigger )"mud tubes" that they assemble from soil, wood contaminants and other materials. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other parts of the home.

Split open the tubes to see if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have just abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it can be 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 house had termite activity at some time).

Tubes which are found on ceilings or on top levels of a building may indicate you have an aboveground ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really lives in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes constructed by an aboveground colony usually 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 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 are generally excluded by a termite contract warranty. In such 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 wood only. Termites really feed on almost 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 may tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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

There is no accurate method for determining the era of recently found damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no harm to this particular wood. That is 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 harm in areas that are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that may imply that damage does exist and further investigation is needed.

If you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the problem. Should you not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to correct any termite conditions they found.

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Termites do not cause significant damage in a short period of time, so spending a couple of added days or even a few weeks check that will not make any actual difference in terms how much damage occurs. .

Is there damage That Needs to Be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood can kill the termites which 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 cure" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated within site here 4 feet 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 creates a continuous chemical barrier that should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in your residence. .

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