Termite Control Use - The Facts
There are three main forms of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Each kind of termite colony includes workers (who eat your home ), soldiers (who defend other people from predators such as ants) and swarmers (flyers that locate new areas to colonize). Though you dont generally see termites unless theyre swarming (flying), its great to know how to identify them, Wilson says.
Drywood termites commonly have a brown body with a reddish head. Swarmers have sheer, tan wings but there are color variations. Workers are light, tan and look like maggots, with no wings.
Dampwood termites are similar to drywood termites, often with a tan or brown body and absolute wings. These workers also resemble maggots.
An Unbiased View of Termite Control Use
Drywood termites are partial to dry, nondecayed timber and often end up in attics, floor boards and window frames.
Dampwood termites like decaying wood or wood that is loaded with moisture. They often strike wood that is making contact with the ground and are found in regions with high rainfall or humidity.
Some Known Facts About Termite Control Use.
Drywood and dampwood termites enter your house through small cracks, often around window frames throughout cracks in the caulk. Make sure you check around windows regularly and reapply caulk when it begins to show signs of age and cracking. Swarmers shed their wings and float into the wood. Cracks in paint are another easy access point for termites.
Be mindful of maintaining your outside paint. For example, when you hammer up Christmas lights then take the nails out, you leave behind small holes and create an open doorway for a termite colony. .
Subterranean termites often seep into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions such as the San Francisco Bay Area, a lot homes have increased foundations, Wilson says. Termites build mud tubes up to the floor, often along posts. But even in the absence of articles, Wilson says, mud tubes can extend from the ground up through thin atmosphere to connect with the base of the house. .
The Buzz on Termite Control Use
So what do you do if you find a termite in your home when you see one shed wing or one termite flying , it doesnt mean you have an infestation. But if you find a group of shed wings or any of the other warning signs noted above, its best to get a professional inspection.
Termites are in fact easy to kill, Wilson states, however you need a termiticide to perform it. Unfortunately, superior pesticides are not available to the general public. Most home stores promote termite spray, but those are watered down to meet public security specifications, so theyre not as successful.
If you have an infestation that's isolated to one portion of your home, state the door trimming, you can replace the trim, Wilson says. But in case you've got a full-on termite infestation, you need a larger scale treatment.
Not known Factual Statements About Termite Control Using Borax
Subterranean termites have to get cut away from the home at the soil. Pacific Coast Termites makes a chemical barrier between any areas of dirt and the house, as well as around the entire home. It functions as a shield that the termites cant break through.
Drywood and dampwood termites can be murdered with a timber treatment product such as XT2000 Orange Oil, which is injected under pressure into the timber through ink-pen-sized holes. This product saturates the wood and will prevent future infestations. Treating a moderate infestation this manner takes approximately four to six hours.
Homes which are exceptionally infested (you can see termites everywhere) can require fumigation. Either a massive tent is placed over your home, or all the doors and windows are sealed, and the residence is gassed with pesticide that can kill each of the termites. This procedure can take anywhere from six hours to one week, depending on the kind of infestation.
Not known Facts About Termite Control Using Neem Tree
Employ an excellent, this link quality coat of exterior paint on your property, since termites wont consume through paint. Ensure that all windows, doorframes and foundation openings are caulked and her comment is here sealed. Dont staple or nail up Christmas lights then yank them down. Even the tiny holes create termite homes. Instead, either leave the nails in the pockets year-round or fill out the holes when you eliminate the nails. .
Quickly solve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other issues involving decaying wood. Provide appropriate ventilation under your raised home to maintain that area dry. Subterranean termites love wetness.