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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not ramble around on the soil surface or outside in the open. They will either tunnel through the soil or into timber (or other material) or else traveling inside pencil-size (or bigger )"sand tubes" that they build from dirt, wood particles and other substances. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or other areas of the house.

Break open the tubes to determine 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 can be another indication of current activity. 'Old' tubes are sterile and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that 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 really lives in the building and the termites are traveling from the ground. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony usually 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 usual soil treatment (see below) and are generally 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 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 a knockout post and feeding, they may tunnel through non-cellulosic substances, such as plastic and foamboard.

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In reality, the amount of harm that termites cause depends on many aspects. In areas with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily cease. If the termites are well-protected from colder temperatures (e.g., underneath a slab), then activity might continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage usually takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There's absolutely 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 that there was no harm to this specific wood. That is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: These inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm in areas that are not covered or not easily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that might imply that damage does exist and further 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 own a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have each 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.

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Termites do not cause significant harm in a brief time period, so spending a couple of extra days or even a few weeks will not make any real difference in terms 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

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of accessible infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not block the infestation nor does here it shield your home from potential attacks . The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and cure" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is placed on the soil surrounding crucial areas of your house.

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The soil is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For houses with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall must be treated within 4 feet 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 foundation and piers in your residence. .

Concrete slabs that attach to the house, for instance, a garage floor, or the slab of an earth-filled porch.