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There are 3 main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Each kind of termite colony includes workers (who eat your house), soldiers (who defend other people from predators such as ants) and swarmers (flyers who find 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 sheer, tan wings but there are color variations. Workers 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 employees also resemble maggots.
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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 timber that's loaded with moisture. They often strike wood that is 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. Be sure to 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 wood. Cracks in paint are another easy access point for termites.
Be mindful of maintaining your exterior paint. As an instance, when you hammer Christmas lights then take the nails out, you leave behind small holes and produce an open doorway for a termite colony. .
Subterranean termites often burrow into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions such as the San Francisco Bay Area, many homes have raised foundations, Wilson says. Termites build mud tubes around the floor, often along posts. But even in the absence of posts, Wilson states sand tubes can stretch from the ground up through thin air to connect with the bottom 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 get 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 general public. Most home stores promote termite spray, but those are watered down to meet public safety specifications, so theyre not as successful.
If you've got an link infestation that is isolated to one portion of your home, state the door trim, you can substitute the trim, Wilson states. But if you've got a full-on termite infestation, you need a larger scale treatment.
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Subterranean termites have to get cut away from the house at the ground. Pacific Coast Termites creates a chemical barrier between any regions of grime and the house, in addition to around the entire house. It functions 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 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 that are exceptionally infested (you can see termites everywhere) can require fumigation. Either a massive tent is placed over your house, or all of the doors and windows are sealed, and the home is gassed with pesticide that can kill each of the termites. This procedure can take anywhere from six hours to one week, depending on the kind of infestation.
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Employ a good, quality coat of 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 create termite homes. Instead, either leave 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 difficulties involving decaying wood. Provide proper ventilation under your raised home to keep that area dry. Subterranean termites love wetness.