Get This Report about Termite Control Process

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

Split open the tubes to determine if termites continue to be active. 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 can be another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that may be observable for years (an indication that a house had termite activity at any time).

Tubes which 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 actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the ground. Mud tubes constructed by an aboveground colony usually contain substances other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever the termites are feeding on.

Getting The Termite Control Procedure To Work

In such situations, a thorough 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 typically excluded from a termite contract warranty. In these situations, finding and correcting the moisture problem is the first step to eliminating the termites. .

We tend to think about termites as feeding/injuring timber only. Termites actually feed on almost 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 could tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

An Unbiased View of Termite Control Process

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 activity may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage usually takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age 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 particular wood. That can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of these inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All these inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas that are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that might suggest that damage does exist and further investigation is needed.

If you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to check out the problem. If you do not own a termite contract, telephone 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 course of action to correct any termite conditions that they found.

Fascination About Termite Control Procedure

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

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

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood can kill the termites which you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your house from future attacks by termites. The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to the soil surrounding crucial areas of your residence.

The Facts About Termite Control Procedure Uncovered

The dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall has to be treated at least within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the home can also be treated.

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

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