Our Termite Control Procedure PDFs

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 wood (or other stuff ) or else travel inside pencil-size (or bigger )"mud tubes" that they assemble 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 see if termites continue to be busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey might have simply abandoned this specific 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 years (an indication that a home had termite activity at any 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 resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the ground. Mud tubes built by 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 with the customary soil treatment (see below) and are typically excluded 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 of 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 aspects. In areas 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 may continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage generally takes approximately 3-8 years. .

There's absolutely no accurate method for determining the era 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. This can be 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 damage in areas that are not covered or not readily seen, such as inside walls. On the other hand, the inspections can reveal conditions that may suggest that damage does exist and further investigation is needed.

In case you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to check out the issue. Should you not have 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 fix any termite problems that they found.

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Termites do not cause significant harm in a brief period of time, so spending a few added days or even a couple weeks will not discover this info here make any real difference in terms just how much damage occurs. .

Is there damage That Needs to Be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Simply spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood may kill the termites that you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your home from potential attacks by termites. The most common sort of termite treatment involves a"trench and treat" in which a liquid insecticide ("termiticide") is applied to 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 within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house are also treated.

When applied correctly, this treatment creates a continuous chemical barrier that should prevent termites from reaching the foundation and piers in your house. .

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