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Mud tubesUnlike ants, termites do not roam around on the ground surface or out in the open. They will either tunnel through the soil or into wood (or other material) or else travel inside pencil-size (or larger)"mud tubes" that they build from soil, wood contaminants and other materials. You'll find these tubes on foundation walls, floor joists or different parts of the home.

Break open the tubes to see if termites continue to be busy. An empty tube doesn't necessarily mean that termites are gone; they might have simply abandoned this specific tunnel. Termites often rebuild damaged tubes, which is another indication of current action. 'Old' tubes are dry and crumble easily, leaving behind"etching" on the surface that may be observable for decades (an indication that a house had termite activity at any time).

Tubes that are found on ceilings or on top levels of a building may indicate you have an aboveground ("aerial") infestation, i.e., the termite colony actually resides in the building and the termites are traveling from the soil. Mud tubes constructed by an aboveground colony usually contain substances other than dirt, e.g., wood and sheet rock or whatever 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 therefore are generally 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 wood only. Termites actually feed on almost anything which 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 reality, the amount of damage that termites cause depends on many factors. In regions with cold winter temperatures, termite activity (and feeding) often declines, but does not necessarily stop. 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 about 3-8 decades. .

There's absolutely no accurate way of determining the age of recently discovered damage. You need some reference point, i.e., some point in time when it was known 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: All these inspections are not a guarantee that you do not have termites or harm 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 further investigation is needed.

If 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 have a termite contract, call 2-3 (or more) companies and have every one inspect your home and provide you with the specifics of their findings and any recommendations for a course of action to correct any termite problems that they found.

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Termites do not cause significant damage 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 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

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

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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 has to be treated at least within 4 feet of identified signs of termite activity. In some circumstances, the soil around supports (such as piers) underneath the home can also be treated.

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

Concrete slabs that attach to the home, for example, a garage floor, or the slab website link of an earth-filled porch.