Termite Control Use Fundamentals Explained
There are three main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Every type of termite colony includes employees (who consume your house), 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 states.
Drywood termites commonly have a brown body with a reddish 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 absolute wings. These workers also resemble maggots.
The Facts About Termite Control Using Neem Tree Revealed
Drywood termites are partial to dry, nondecayed wood and often end up in attics, flooring boards and window frames.
Dampwood termites like decaying wood or wood that's loaded with moisture. They often attack wood that is making contact with the ground and are found in regions with high rainfall or humidity.
The smart Trick of Termite Control Using Borax That Nobody is Discussing
Drywood and dampwood termites enter your home through small cracks, often around window frames through cracks in the home. Be sure to check around windows frequently and reapply caulk when it begins to show signs of age and cracking. Swarmers shed their wings and burrow 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 burrow into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions like the San Francisco Bay Area, a lot homes have increased foundations, Wilson says. Termites build mud tubes up to the bottom floor, often along posts. But even in the absence of articles, Wilson sayssand tubes can extend from the ground up through thin air to connect with the base of the home. .
Little Known Facts About Termite Control Use.
So what can you do if you find a termite in your home If 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 in fact easy to kill, Wilson says, however you need a termiticide to perform it. Unfortunately, good pesticides are not available to the general public. Most home shops sell termite spray, but these are watered down to meet public security specifications, so theyre not as effective.
If you've got an infestation that's isolated to one portion of your house, state the door trimming, you can replace the trimming, Wilson states. But if you've got go to website a full-on termite infestation, you need a bigger scale treatment.
An Unbiased View of Termite Control Use
Subterranean termites have to get cut off 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 home. It acts as a shield that the termites cant break through.
Drywood and dampwood termites can be murdered with a wood treatment product like XT2000 Orange Oil, which is 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 manner takes approximately four to six hours.
Homes that are exceptionally infested (you can see termites everywhere) can require fumigation. Either a massive tent is put over your house, or all of the doors and windows are sealed, and the residence is gassed with pesticide that will kill all the termites. This process can take anywhere from six hours to one week, depending on the type of infestation.
5 Simple Techniques For Termite Control Using Borax
Employ a good, quality coating of exterior paint on your house, since termites wont eat through paint. Ensure that all windows, doorframes and foundation gaps are caulked and sealed. Dont staple or nail up Christmas lights then pull them down. The tiny holes create termite homes. Instead, either abandon the nails in the holes year-round or fill the holes when you eliminate the nails. .
Quickly resolve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other issues involving decaying wood. Provide proper ventilation under your elevated home to keep that region dry. Subterranean termites adore wetness.