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There are 3 main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Every kind of termite colony includes workers (who eat your house), soldiers (who defend others from predators such as ants) and swarmers (flyers who locate new areas to colonize). Though you dont generally see termites unless theyre swarming (flying), its good to know how to identify them, Wilson says.
Drywood termites commonly possess a brown body with a reddish head. Swarmers have sheer, tan wings although there are colour variations. Employees are light, 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 employees also resemble maggots.
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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'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 home. Be sure to 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 simple access point for termites.
Be mindful of maintaining your exterior paint. For example, when you hammer Christmas lights then take the nails out, you leave behind small holes and produce 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 houses have raised foundations, Wilson states. Termites build mud tubes around the bottom floor, often along articles. But even in the absence of articles, Wilson says, mud tubes can extend from the ground up through thin atmosphere to connect with the base of the house. .
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So what can you do if you find a termite in your house 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 find a professional inspection.
Termites are in fact easy to kill,'' Wilson says, but you need a termiticide to perform it. Unfortunately, good pesticides are not readily available to the public. Most home stores promote termite spray, but those are watered down to meet public security specifications, so theyre not as effective.
In case you have an infestation that's isolated to one part of your house, say the door trimming, you can replace the trimming, Wilson says. But in case you've got a full-on termite infestation, you need a larger scale treatment.
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Subterranean termites must get cut off from the house at the soil. Pacific Coast Termites creates a chemical barrier between any regions of dirt and the home, as well as around the entire house. It acts as a shield the termites cant break through.
Drywood and dampwood termites can be killed 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 timber and will prevent future infestations. Treating a moderate infestation this manner takes approximately 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 of the doors and windows are sealed, and the home is gassed with pesticide that will kill all the termites. This process can take anywhere from six hours to one week, depending on the kind of infestation.
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Apply a good, quality coating of paint on your property, 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 pull them down. Even the tiny holes create termite homes. visit this web-site Instead, either abandon the nails in the pockets year-round or fill out the holes when you eliminate the nails. .
Instantly solve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other issues involving decaying wood. Provide proper ventilation under your raised home to keep that area dry. Subterranean termites love wetness.