Termite Control Products - An Overview

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

Break open the tubes to see if termites are still active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have simply abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it is another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that could be observable for years (an indication that a home had termite activity at some 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 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 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 are generally excluded from 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 of termites as feeding/injuring timber only. Termites really feed on virtually 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 could tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In fact, the amount of harm that termites cause depends on many factors. In regions with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily cease. If the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., http://www.innovativepestcontroladelaide.com.au/ underneath a slab), then activity may continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There is no accurate method for 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. This 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 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 might suggest that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

If you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to take a look at the problem. Should you not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to his response fix any termite problems 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 few weeks will not make any real difference in terms just how much damage happens. .

Is there damage that should be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are performed

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not block 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 applied to the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall has to 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 home are also treated.

When implemented correctly, this treatment click site forms a continuous chemical barrier that 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.