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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the ground surface or out in the open. They will either tunnel through the soil or into wood (or other material) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"sand tubes" they build from dirt, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different areas of the house.

Break open the tubes to see if termites continue to be active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey might 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 that may be observable for decades (an indication that a house had termite activity at some time).

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

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In such situations, a thorough inspection may necessitate elimination 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 about termites as feeding/injuring wood 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, read review 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 aspects. 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 perspective, serious termite damage generally takes about 3-8 decades. .

There is no accurate way of determining the era of recently discovered harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no damage to this specific wood. This can be 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 damage in areas which are not covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that may suggest that harm does exist and further 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 more information problem. Should you pop over to this site not have a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have each 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 problems they found.

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

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

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood may kill the termites which you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your home from potential attacks by termites. The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" 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 soil along the interior foundation wall has to be treated within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for example, 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 which attach to the home, for example, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.