Termite Control Use Fundamentals Explained
There are 3 main forms of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Each type of termite colony includes workers (who eat your home ), soldiers (who defend other people from predators such as ants) and swarmers (flyers that find new areas to colonize). Although you dont generally see termites unless theyre swarming (flying), its good to know how to identify them, Wilson states.
Drywood termites commonly possess a brown body with a red head. Swarmers have absolute, tan wings but there are colour variations. Employees are pale, tan and look like maggots, with no wings.
Dampwood termites are similar to drywood termites, often with a tan or brown body and sheer wings. These workers also resemble maggots.
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Drywood termites are partial to dry, nondecayed wood 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's making contact with the ground and are found in areas with high rainfall or humidity.
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Drywood and dampwood termites enter your house through small cracks, often around window frames through cracks in the caulk. Be sure to check around windows regularly and reapply caulk when it begins to show signs of age and cracking. Swarmers lose their wings and float into the timber. Cracks in paint are another easy access point for termites.
Be mindful of maintaining your outside paint. As an instance, when you hammer up Christmas lights then take the nails out, you leave behind little holes and produce an open doorway for a termite colony. .
Subterranean termites often burrow into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions like the San Francisco Bay Area, a lot homes have raised foundations, Wilson says. Termites build mud tubes up to the bottom floor, often along posts. But even in the absence of articles, Wilson states sand tubes can extend from the ground up through thin air to connect with the base of the home. .
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So what can you do if you find a termite in your home If you see one drop wing or one termite flying by, 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 simple to kill, Wilson states, but you need a termiticide to perform it. Unfortunately, good pesticides are not available to the general public. Most home stores promote termite spray, but these are watered down to meet public security specifications, so theyre not as effective.
In case you have an infestation that's isolated to one portion of your home, state the door trim, you can substitute the trim, Wilson states. But if you've got a full-on termite infestation, you need a larger scale treatment.
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Subterranean termites have to be cut away from the house at the ground. Pacific Coast weblink Termites creates a chemical barrier between any areas of dirt and the home, as well as around the entire home. It acts as a shield the termites cant break through.
Drywood and dampwood termites can be killed with a timber treatment product like XT2000 Orange Oil, which is injected under pressure into the timber through ink-pen-sized holes. This product saturates the timber and will prevent future infestations. Treating a moderate infestation this way takes approximately four to six hours.
Homes which are massively infested (you can see termites everywhere) can require fumigation. Either a huge tent is put over your home, or all of the doors and windows are sealed, and the residence is gassed with pesticide that will kill each of the termites. This process can take anywhere from six hours to one week, depending on the type of infestation.
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Apply a good, quality coating of paint on your property, since termites wont eat through paint. Ensure that all windows, doorframes and foundation gaps are caulked and sealed. Dont basic or nail up Christmas lights then yank them down. The tiny holes make termite homes. Instead, either leave the nails in the pockets year-round or fill out the holes when you remove the nails. .
Quickly resolve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other difficulties involving decaying wood. Provide appropriate ventilation under your elevated home to keep that area dry. Subterranean termites love wetness.