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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 larger)"mud tubes" that they assemble from soil, wood contaminants and other materials. You will find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different parts 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 might 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 could be visible for years (an indication that a house 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 ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling up from the soil. Mud tubes built through an aboveground colony normally 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 comprehensive inspection may necessitate elimination of siding or interior wallboards, etc.. More importantly for you, these aboveground infestations cannot be controlled using the customary soil treatment (see below) and are typically excluded 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 almost anything that 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 substances, 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 might continue year-round. From a practical standpoint, serious termite damage generally takes about 3-8 years. .

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 there was no damage to this specific wood. This can be 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 readily seen, such as inside walls. However, the inspections can reveal conditions that may imply that damage does exist and additional investigation is needed.

If you've got a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company immediately and arrange for them to take a look at the problem. Should you not own 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 course of action to correct any termite conditions that they found.

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

Is there damage that should be repaired or at least examined by a contractor or engineer before control steps are done

Only 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 protect your home from future 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 residence.

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The dirt is trenched 6" deep and about 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall has to be treated at least within 4 ft of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house can also be treated.

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

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