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There are 3 main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Every type of termite colony includes workers (who consume your house), soldiers (who defend other people from predators such as ants) and swarmers (flyers that locate new places to colonize). Though you dont generally see termites unless theyre swarming (flying), its good to know how to identify them, Wilson states.
Drywood termites commonly have a brown body with a reddish head. Swarmers have sheer, tan wings but there are color variations. Employees 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 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 like decaying wood or timber that is rich 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 throughout 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 float into the wood. Cracks in paint are another simple access point for termites.
Be mindful of maintaining your outside paint. For example, when you hammer Christmas lights then take the nails out, you leave behind little holes and produce an open doorway for a termite colony. .
Subterranean termites often seep into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions such as the San Francisco Bay Area, many houses have increased foundations, Wilson says. Termites build mud tubes around the floor, often along posts. But even in the absence of posts, Wilson sayssand tubes can stretch from the ground up through thin atmosphere to connect with the base of the home. .
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So what do you do if you find a termite in your home when you see one drop wing or one termite flying by, it doesnt mean you've got an infestation. But if you find a group of shed wings have a peek at this website or any of the other warning signs noted above, its best to get a professional inspection.
Termites are actually simple to kill, Wilson says, however you need a termiticide to do it. Unfortunately, good pesticides are not readily available to the public. Most home stores sell termite spray, but those 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 home, say the door trim, you can substitute the trim, Wilson states. But if you have a full-on termite infestation, you need a bigger scale treatment.
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Subterranean termites must get cut off from the home at the ground. Pacific Coast Termites makes a chemical barrier between any regions of dirt and the home, as well as around the entire home. It functions as a shield that the termites cant break through.
Drywood and dampwood termites can be killed with a timber treatment product such as XT2000 Orange Oil, which is injected under pressure into the timber through ink-pen-sized holes. This product saturates the timber 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 huge tent is put over your home, or all of the doors and windows are sealed, and the residence is gassed with pesticide that will kill each of 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 exterior paint on your house, since termites wont consume through paint. Ensure that all windows, doorframes and foundation openings are caulked and sealed. Dont staple or nail up Christmas lights then pull 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. .
Quickly solve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other issues involving decaying wood. Provide proper ventilation under your raised home to maintain that area dry. Subterranean termites love wetness.