Getting My Termite Control Procedure To Work

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the ground surface or out in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into timber (or other stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or larger)"sand tubes" that they assemble from dirt, wood contaminants and other substances. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different parts of the home.

Split open the tubes to see if termites are still busy. 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 is another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which could be visible for decades (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 really lives in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony normally contain materials other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever the termites are feeding on.

Termite Control Products Fundamentals Explained

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 deducted 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 wood 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 paper covering of sheet rock, carpeting, etc.. While foraging and feeding, they may tunnel through non-cellulosic materials, such as plastic and foamboard.

The Facts About Termite Control Procedure Revealed

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 activity may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe termite damage generally takes about 3-8 years. .

There is 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 there was no damage to this particular wood. That can be one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All these inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas which are not insured or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, 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 problem. If you do not own a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and offer you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to correct any termite problems that they found.

A Biased View of Termite Control Products

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

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

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of click to find out more available infested wood may kill the termites which you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it shield your house from potential attacks by termites. 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.

The 3-Minute Rule for Termite Control Products

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

When implemented correctly, this treatment creates a continuous chemical barrier which should prevent termites from reaching the find foundation and piers in your house. .

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