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

Split open the tubes to see if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they might have just abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it can be another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which may be observable for decades (an indication that a home had termite activity at any time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on upper levels of a building may indicate that you have an aboveground ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really lives in the building and the termites are traveling up from the ground. Mud tubes built by an aboveground colony usually contain materials 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 removal of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled using the customary 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 of termites as feeding/injuring wood only. Termites really feed on virtually 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 could 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 factors. In regions with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily cease. If the termites their website are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then activity may continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage usually takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There is no accurate way of determining the age of recently found Get the facts damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no damage to this particular 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 harm in areas that are not insured or not readily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that may suggest that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

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

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

Can there be harm that should be repaired or Recommended Site examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it shield your home from future attacks . The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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The soil is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall must be treated within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the house can also be treated.

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

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