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

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the ground surface or outside 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 assemble from dirt, wood contaminants and other substances. 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 busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they may have just abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it is another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which could be visible for years (an indication that a house had termite activity at any time).

Tubes that 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 really resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the ground. Mud tubes constructed through an aboveground colony normally contain materials other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever the termites are feeding on.

About Termite Control Products

In such situations, a comprehensive 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 therefore are generally excluded 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 of 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, they may tunnel through non-cellulosic materials, such as plastic and foamboard.

Top Guidelines Of Termite Control Process

In fact, 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 cease. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then action may continue year-round. From a practical perspective, severe termite damage generally takes about 3-8 decades. .

There is no accurate way of determining the era of recently found harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known go to this website that there was no harm to this particular wood. This our website can be 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 that are not insured or not readily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply that harm does exist and further investigation is needed.

If you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the issue. 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 plan of action to correct any termite conditions that they found.

Termite Control Procedure Things To Know Before You Get This

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

Can there be damage That Needs to Be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are performed

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

The Buzz on Termite Control Procedure

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 feet 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 creates 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.