All About Termite Control Procedure

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the soil surface or out in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into timber (or other stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" that they assemble from soil, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different areas of the home.

Split open the tubes to determine if termites continue to be active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they may have simply abandoned this particular 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 observable for decades (an indication that a house had termite activity at some time).

Tubes which are found on ceilings or on upper levels of a building may indicate that you have an aboveground ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony usually contain substances other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever the termites are feeding on.

About Termite Control Procedure

In such situations, a thorough 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 typically 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 actually feed on virtually anything which 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 materials, 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 cease. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then activity may continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage generally takes about 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age of recently found harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no harm to this specific wood. This can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) click reference are important. .

NOTE: All these inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or damage in areas which are not insured or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply that harm does exist and additional investigation is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to take a look at the problem. Should you not have a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your house and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to correct any termite conditions that they found.

All about Termite Control Process

Termites do not cause significant damage in a short period of time, so spending a couple of extra days or even a couple his comment is here weeks will not make any real difference in terms just how much damage occurs. .

Can there be damage That Needs to Be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood can kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your house from potential attacks . The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated at least within 4 ft of identified original site signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the house 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, as an instance, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.