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

Break open the tubes to determine if termites continue to be busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gonethey may have just abandoned this specific 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 that could be visible for years (an indication that a house had termite activity at any time).

Tubes which are found on ceilings or on top levels of a building may indicate that you have an aboveground ("airborne") infestation, i.e., the termite colony really lives in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes constructed 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 with the customary soil treatment (see below) and are typically excluded from a termite contract warranty. In these situations, finding and correcting the moisture problem is the very first step to eliminating the termites. .

We tend to think about termites as feeding/injuring wood 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 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 reality, the amount of damage 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, serious termite damage generally takes about 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely 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 harm to this specific wood. This is one reason why annual inspections (and keeping your records of those inspections) are important. .

NOTE: All 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 additional investigation is needed.

If you have a termite protection contract, contact the pest control company quickly and arrange for them to take a look at the problem. Should you 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 fix any termite conditions they found.

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

Is there harm that should be repaired or examined by a contractor or engineer before control measures are performed

Only spraying swarmers or the surface of available infested wood may kill the termites which you see now, but it does not stop the infestation nor does it shield your home from future attacks by termites. 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 approximately 4-6" wide. For homes with crawlspaces, the soil along the interior foundation wall must be treated within find 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some cases, the soil around supports (for example, piers) underneath the house are also treated.

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

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