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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the soil surface or out in the open. They'll either tunnel through the soil or into wood (or other material) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" they assemble from soil, wood particles and other materials. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different parts of the home.

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Split open the tubes to see if termites continue to be active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have just abandoned this particular 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 may be visible for decades (an indication that a home had termite activity at some 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 lives in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes constructed through an aboveground colony normally contain substances other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever the termites are feeding on.

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In such situations, a comprehensive inspection may require removal of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled with the customary soil treatment (see below) and therefore are typically excluded by 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 about termites as feeding/injuring wood only. Termites actually 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.

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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. When the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then activity may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

There is no accurate way of determining the age of recently found damage. You need some reference point, i.e., like this some point in time when it was known there was no harm to this specific wood. That 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 harm in areas which are not insured or not easily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that may suggest that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

In case you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the problem. Should you not have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your house and offer you the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a plan of action to fix any termite conditions they found.

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

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

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it protect your house from potential attacks . The most common sort 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 about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall must be treated within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house can also be 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, for example, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.

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