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There are 3 main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Every type of termite colony includes workers (who eat your home ), soldiers (who defend others 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 absolute, tan wings although there are color variations. Employees are pale, 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 employees also resemble maggots.
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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's rich with moisture. They often strike wood that's making contact with the ground and are found in regions 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. Make sure you check around windows frequently and reapply caulk when it begins to show signs of age and cracking. Swarmers lose their wings and float into the wood. Cracks in paint are another easy access point for termites.
Be mindful of maintaining your outside paint. As an example, when you hammer Christmas lights then take the nails out, you leave behind small holes and create an open door for a termite colony. .
Subterranean termites often burrow into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions like the San Francisco Bay Area, many homes have raised foundations, Wilson states. Termites build mud tubes up to the floor, often along posts. But even in the absence of posts, Wilson sayssand tubes can extend from the ground up through thin atmosphere to connect with the base of the home. .
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So what can you do if you find a termite in your house when you see one drop wing or one termite flying , it doesnt mean you have an infestation. But if you see a group of shed wings or any of the other warning signs noted above, its best to get a professional inspection.
Termites are actually easy to kill, Wilson says, but you need a termiticide to perform it. Unfortunately, superior pesticides are not readily available to the general public. Most home shops promote termite spray, but those are watered down to meet public safety specifications, so theyre not as successful.
If you have an infestation that is isolated to one part of your home, say the door trimming, you can substitute the trimming, Wilson says. But if you have a full-on termite infestation, you need a larger scale treatment.
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Subterranean termites More about the author must be cut away from the home at the soil. Pacific Coast Termites creates a chemical barrier between any regions of dirt and the house, in addition to around the entire home. It acts 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 my website Oil, which can be 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 about four to six hours.
Homes which are exceptionally infested (you can see termites everywhere) can require fumigation. Either a massive tent is put over your 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.
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Employ an excellent, quality coat of 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 make termite homes. Instead, either abandon the nails in the holes year-round or fill the holes when you remove the nails. .
Instantly solve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other issues involving decaying wood. Provide proper ventilation under your elevated home to maintain that region dry. Subterranean termites adore wetness.