The Ultimate Guide To Termite Control Use

There are three main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Each kind of termite colony includes employees (who consume your house), soldiers (who defend others 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 great to know how to identify them,'' Wilson states.

Drywood termites commonly possess a brown body with a red head. Swarmers have sheer, tan wings although there are color variations. Employees are light, tan and look like maggots, with no wings.

Dampwood termites are much like drywood termites, often with a tan or brown body and absolute wings. These workers also resemble maggots.

Subterranean termites are somewhat smaller than their above-ground brethren with black bodies and utter wings to the flyers. The employees are smaller, white and maggot-like.

Little Known Questions About Termite Control Use.

Drywood termites are partial to dry, nondecayed wood and often end up in attics, flooring boards and window frames.

Dampwood termites such as decaying wood or wood that's rich with moisture. They often strike wood that is making contact with the ground and are found in regions with high rainfall or humidity.

Subterranean termites will eat soft (moisture-rich) timber and drywood, however they initially make contact with your house through the ground.

Fascination About Termite Control Using Borax

Drywood and dampwood termites enter your house through small cracks, often around window frames throughout cracks in the home. 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 timber. Cracks in paint are another easy access point for termites.

Be mindful of maintaining your exterior 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 seep into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions such as 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 posts, Wilson says, mud tubes can extend from the ground up through thin atmosphere to connect with the base of the house. .

Top Guidelines Of Termite Control Using Borax

So what can you do if you find a termite in your house when you see one shed wing or one termite flying by, it doesnt mean you've got an infestation. But if you find a group of wings or any of the description 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, good pesticides are not available to the public. Most home stores sell termite spray, but those are watered down to meet public safety specifications, so theyre not as effective.

If you have an infestation that's isolated to one part of your house, say the door trim, you can replace the trim, Wilson says. But if you have a full-on termite infestation, you need a bigger scale treatment.

The smart Trick of Termite Control Using Neem Tree That Nobody is Discussing

Subterranean termites must be cut away from the home at the soil. Pacific Coast Termites makes a chemical barrier between any regions of dirt and the home, as well as around the entire house. It functions as a shield that the termites cant break through.

Drywood and dampwood termites can be killed with a timber treatment product such as XT2000 Orange Oil, which can be injected under pressure into the wood through ink-pen-sized holes. This item saturates the wood 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 placed over your find house, or all the doors and windows are sealed, and the home is gassed with pesticide that can kill all the termites. This procedure can take anywhere from six hours to one week, depending on the type of infestation.

Some Of Termite Control Using Borax

Apply an excellent, quality coating of exterior paint on your house, since termites wont consume through paint. Ensure that all windows, doorframes and foundation openings are caulked and sealed. Dont basic or nail up Christmas lights then yank them down. Even the tiny holes create termite homes. Instead, either abandon the Check This Out nails in the holes year-round or fill the holes when you remove the nails. .

Quickly resolve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other issues involving decaying wood. Provide proper ventilation under your raised home to maintain that region dry. Subterranean termites adore wetness.