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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 stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" that they assemble from dirt, wood particles and other materials. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different 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 gone; they may have just abandoned this specific 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 observable 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 you have an aboveground ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes constructed through an aboveground colony normally contain materials other than soil, 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 usual soil treatment (see below) and are typically 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 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 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 damage that termites cause depends on many factors. In regions with cold winter temperatures, link 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 activity may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe termite damage usually takes about 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate method for determining the age of recently discovered harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known there was no damage to this specific wood. This is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas which are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply 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 check out the issue. If you do not have a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your house and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to correct any termite conditions that they found.

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

Is there damage That Needs to Be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are performed

Only 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 . The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" where a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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The soil is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For homes you can try this out with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall must be treated within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the home are also treated.

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

Concrete slabs that attach to the home, as this website an example, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.