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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 )"mud tubes" that they build from soil, wood particles and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other areas of the house.

Split open the tubes to see if termites are still active. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they might have just abandoned this particular tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, and it can be another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which may be observable for decades (an indication that a house had termite activity at any time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on top levels of a building may indicate you have an aboveground ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony usually contain substances other than soil, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

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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 typically 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 about termites as feeding/injuring timber 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.

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In fact, the amount of harm that termites cause depends on many aspects. 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 action may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, severe termite damage usually takes approximately 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age of recently found harm. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known that there was no harm to this specific wood. That is 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 harm in areas that are not More Help insured or not readily seen, such as inside walls. However, 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 quickly and arrange for them to take a look at the problem. If you do not own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have each one inspect your home and provide you with 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 harm in a short period of time, so spending a couple of extra days or even a few weeks will not make any actual difference in terms just how much damage occurs. .

Can there be harm That Needs to Be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are done

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood can kill the termites that 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 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 must be treated within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the home are also treated.

When implemented correctly, this treatment forms a continuous chemical barrier which should prevent termites from reaching the 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.