How Termite Control Procedure can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.

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

Break open the tubes to determine if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have just abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which is another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that could be observable for decades (an indication that a home 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 resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the ground. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony usually contain substances other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

The Of Termite Control Process

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 with the usual soil treatment (see below) and are generally deducted 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 timber 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 paper 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 reality, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on many factors. In areas 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 activity may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage generally takes about 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate method for determining the age of recently discovered damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known there was no damage 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 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 damage 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 take a look at the issue. If you do not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and offer you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to fix any termite problems that they found.

Getting My Termite Control Procedure To Work

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

Can there be harm 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 protect your house from future attacks . The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding critical areas of your residence.

The Definitive Guide to Termite Control Process

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

When basics 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 home, as an instance, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.