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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam 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 traveling inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" that they build from dirt, wood contaminants and other substances. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other areas of the home.

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Break open the tubes to determine if termites continue to be 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, and it is another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface which may be observable for years (an indication that a house had termite activity at some 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 really resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the ground. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony usually contain substances other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or anything the termites are feeding on.

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In such situations, a thorough inspection may require removal 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 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 timber only. Termites really feed on virtually 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 areas 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 perspective, severe 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., some point in time when it was known that there was no damage to this particular 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 damage in areas which are not covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might suggest that damage does exist and additional investigation Continue is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the problem. If you do not own a termite contract, telephone 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your house and offer you the details of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to correct any termite problems they found.

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

Can there be damage that should be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are performed

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood can kill the termites which you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does it protect your house from future attacks by termites. The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" 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 approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the dirt along the interior foundation wall must be treated at least within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (such as 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 residence. .

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

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