Spiders are often the only household pests thought to be creepy. However, spiders aren’t quite as scarier as subterranean termites. These termites usually tunnel under the ground and sometimes even climb up the foundation walls. They keep feeding silently on the inside of the walls for years. Not only on the inner parts of the wall but also inside the wood! You will find thousands of this species, from the support beams in the cellar to each of the roof’s trusses. That is super creepy and is even worse than it sounds.
How to Check for Termites in Walls
Most of us know that subterranean termites almost exclusively live in the woods which they consume, or in the ground near a structure they infest. However, this is not entirely true since some species stay in the subterranean termite nest. When their nest finally matures, it starts to create both male and female winged termites, that tend to pour out of the tunnels and in most cases take flight. If you notice termites infesting your home and their nest is near the house, then the winged termites would begin pouring out of the hole into your home. Besides, there are several other creepy things similar to the termites.
Before all this happens, you should get an approved pest control company to install some liquid barrier to prevent the termites from reaching your home. But, if you are going through this article right now, the subterranean termites have already infested your place. You might be wondering how these pest control companies can get the termites hiding inside the wood! Read on since this article will help you answer all the questions you have in mind.
Dry wood Termite Damage in The Wall
These termites often feed on wood, and this means that they are drawn explicitly to those studded walls, furniture, and attic areas. They usually don’t need any contact with soil, and their colonies are notably smaller compared to the subterranean termites. Since the size of their colony is quite small, proof of activity or even infestation is quite slow in terms of development and difficult to notice.
The Entire Process of Getting the Termites
It’s not entirely simple to let you know that there’s a space technology that allows these companies to X-ray the walls. Plus, it can also help in deducing the exact hiding place of the termites. Fortunately, explaining all this won’t be necessary. The company’s certified technician typically uses some product known as Termidor. The product then spreads from one termite to the other, eventually killing all of them. Therefore, finding these termites isn’t usually a science. The technicians only need to be conversant with the general location where these subterranean termites are active.
Here are several ways you can determine:
The termites often leave some mud tubes. These tubes are made from soil. They allow termite workers to start from the ground up to the wood in your home. These subterranean termites are moisture pests. If they get exposed to some dry air for far too long, they eventually die. The tubes protect them as they go out to look for food. Mud tubes are often found on the exterior foundation of most walls, crawl space walls, cellar walls, interior basement, and structural posts.
However, you can find them on any wall both inside and outside the home. You can also get these tubes in other exciting locations such as the side of a tub or even toilet. If a pest control technician comes across the mud tubes, they would know subterranean termites are active for quite some time in that particular area. On conducting further tests, it will reveal that infestation is active as of that time.
Most of us would prefer not to find termite damage on the interior, but it’s one of the ways to track down the termite’s actual location. These subterranean termites tend to create damage that resembles that of water. Wallpaper or paint would begin o bulge or bubble, and the sheetrock on the wall will equally bulge. The color or wallpaper will eventually dent on the inner part. Baseboards will start showing holes and cracks. Ceilings will also sink, and floors dip. If the technician sees this type of interior damage, they have to take note. While one damage location might be inconclusive, all the damage would work concurrently to show how these subterranean termites found their way in, and their current position.
Woods become hollow on the inside over time, when termites feed on them. In such cases, the wood usually makes some hollow sound when you tap on it. The technician might listen to the wood. Termites generally communicate by tapping the head against these tunnel walls. If they are active in the wood, you may hear a rustling sound inside.
The technician is also supposed to inspect the home’s exterior to ascertain if there are any moisture areas. In such a scenario, they can see the concealed damage right outside the wood. The areas typically have chipped paint, and the wood will appear carved. The technician should examine both high and low, from rooflines, soffits, eaves, to the windows in the basement walls.
If there are mulch and other organic material close to the home, the technician should also try to check if there are any termites present. They will equally examine logs, a pile of firewood, stumps, leaf litter, and any wooden objects that encompass a flowerbed or any related things. They will take an interest in anything made of wood.
Additionally, the technician will look for specific conditions that are conducive to any termite activity like wood rot and excessive moisture. Although there might not be signs of present termites in such vulnerable zones, these conditions are quite helpful to ensure the treatment is successful.
Treating for Subterranean Termites
Once you ascertain the general feeding areas of the termites, a product is applied to that particular location. They may have to go through the outlet hole or choose to drill the wall. Whatever course that suits the technician, it should be less invasive to carry out the job perfectly well.
Eventually, the products work out its magic, moving from one termite to the other and kills them all in the structure. However, that’s only for a start. It’s not enough to only get rid of the termites, which are currently inside the walls. You should ensure you don’t get another infestation and payout more to fix the damage caused the subterranean termites. Termites tend to weaken the support beams of the home and also compromise the load-bearing walls, and this can cause the whole frame to warp and bend. Seemingly, it can result in severe problems. Therefore, beyond some direct treatment in the walls, you should also consider perimeter treatment.
Perimeter Treatment
Termite workers travel far and wide in search of food. When they finally get a source, they give it no focus. A nest of termites tends to feed on more than just a home. Adequate protection from these subterranean termites aims always to ensure they don’t make any meal from your home. When these workers tunnel the house, technicians make sure they are doing it for the last time to try and feed.
The termite barrier is known as trenching and rodding or simply trenching. The technician, who is also a certified Termidor installer, does apply a dilute liquid of this product around the compound, right up close the wall’s foundation. The ultimate goal is to continuously create a treatment zone that the termites will come in contact with. When they finally come in contact, they are bond to share with the rest of the colony.
It’s quite necessary to dig up holes through the slabs or different hard surfaces which are adjacent to the wall’s foundation, to make the barrier a continuous treatment zone. The technician will advise you accordingly on a suitable method. Besides, don’t use your full-figured quarter bra to confuse the technician in case he’s male. Let him focus on getting rid of the termites.
When the void on the walls is treated directly with a combination of trenching, it’s one or two punches that will arrest the entire termites’ activities in your home. Besides, you should check later to make sure. The Arrow Pest Control performs a 90-day check to ascertain any termite activity. If they find no action, the technician will examine after which, address the issue.
Permanent Solution for Termite Removal
The goal of getting termite treatment is to ensure you protect your home permanently. It’s the reason why you are provided with a termite warranty. The warranty additionally comes with a termite inspection, which is done annually to ensure no termites get through. In instances where you require retreatment, you wouldn’t have to pay the same amount that you initially paid. You will sleep all night soundly knowing your home is safely guarded, thanks to the United States termite defense product.
