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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 traveling inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" that they build from dirt, wood contaminants and other substances. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different parts of the house.

Break 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 just abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which can be another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that could be visible for years (an indication that a home had termite activity at any time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on top levels of a building may indicate that you have an aboveground ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really lives in the building and the termites are traveling up from the ground. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony usually contain materials 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 require 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 typically 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 actually feed on virtually anything that 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 could tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In fact, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on many aspects. In areas with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily stop. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action may continue year-round. From a practical perspective, serious termite damage generally takes about 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age of recently found 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 YOURURL.com your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas that are not covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that might suggest 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 issue. Should you not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your home and offer you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to fix any termite conditions that they found.

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

Can there be harm that should be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are done

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood may kill the termites which you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it protect your house from potential attacks . The most common sort 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.

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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 at least within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (for example, 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 house. .

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