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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 timber (or other material) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" they build from dirt, wood contaminants and other substances. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other areas of the house.

Split open the tubes to see if termites continue to be busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have simply abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it is another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that could 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 ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the ground. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony normally contain materials other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

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In such situations, a thorough inspection may require elimination of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled with the usual soil treatment (see below) and therefore are generally deducted from 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 about termites as feeding/injuring timber only. Termites really feed on almost 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 fact, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on many aspects. In regions with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily stop. If the imp source termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action 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 there was no harm to this specific 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 check not have termites or harm in areas that are not insured or not easily 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.

If you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to take a look at the issue. Should you not own a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your house and provide you with the details of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to fix any termite problems that they found.

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Termites do not cause significant damage in a short time period, so spending a couple of 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 examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Only 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 home from future attacks by termites. The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your residence.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with go now 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 are also treated.

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

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