How Termite Control Use can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.

There are 3 main forms of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Every kind of termite colony includes employees (who eat your house), soldiers (who defend other people from predators such as ants) and swarmers (flyers that locate new places to colonize). Although you dont generally see termites unless theyre swarming (flying), its good to know how to identify them, Wilson says.

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 employees also resemble maggots.

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

A Biased View of Termite Control Use

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

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

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

Termite Control Using Neem Tree Things To Know Before You Get This

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

Be mindful of maintaining your exterior paint. For example, when you hammer up Christmas lights then take the nails out, you leave behind little holes and create an open doorway for a termite colony. .

Subterranean termites often seep into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions like the San Francisco Bay Area, a lot houses have raised foundations, Wilson states. Termites build mud tubes around the bottom floor, often along posts. But even in the absence of articles, Wilson sayssand tubes can extend from the ground up through thin atmosphere to connect with the base of the house. .

The Ultimate Guide To Termite Control Use

So what do 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 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, but you need a termiticide to perform it. Unfortunately, superior pesticides are not readily available to the public. their website Most home shops sell termite spray, but those are watered down to meet public security specifications, so theyre not as effective.

In case you've got an infestation that is isolated to one portion of your home, say the door trimming, you can substitute the trimming, Wilson states. But if you've got a full-on termite infestation, you need a larger scale treatment.

The Greatest Guide To Termite Control Using Borax

Subterranean termites must be cut away from the home at the soil. Pacific Coast Termites makes 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 such as XT2000 Orange Oil, which can be injected under pressure into the wood through ink-pen-sized holes. This item saturates the timber and will prevent future infestations. Treating a moderate infestation this way takes about 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 the doors and windows are sealed, and the residence is gassed with pesticide that will kill all the termites. This procedure can take anywhere from six hours to one week, depending on the type of infestation.

Fascination About Termite Control Using Neem Tree

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

Instantly resolve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other issues involving decaying wood. Provide appropriate ventilation under your elevated home to keep that area dry. Subterranean termites love wetness.