Termite Control Process for Beginners

Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the soil surface or outside in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into wood (or other stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"sand tubes" they assemble 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 determine if termites are still busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have just abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it is another indication of current activity. '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 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 through an aboveground colony usually contain materials 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 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 are generally deducted by 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 wood only. Termites actually feed on almost anything that 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 materials, 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, 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 might continue year-round. From a practical perspective, serious termite damage usually takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

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 there was no damage to this specific 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 that are not covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that might suggest that harm does exist and additional 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 issue. Should you not have a termite contract, telephone 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 fix any termite problems they found.

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Termites do not cause significant damage in a brief time period, so spending a couple of added days or even a couple weeks will not make any actual difference in terms just 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

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood can kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your house from potential attacks by termites. The most common type of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding critical areas of your house.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and about 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 article around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house 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 house. .

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