An Unbiased View of Termite Control Using Borax
There are 3 main forms of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Each type of termite colony includes workers (who consume your home ), soldiers (who defend others 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 absolute, tan wings although there are color 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.
Rumored Buzz on Termite Control Use
Drywood termites are partial to dry, nondecayed wood and often end up in attics, floor boards and window frames.
Dampwood termites such as decaying wood or timber that's rich with moisture. They often attack wood that is making contact with the ground and are found in areas with high rainfall or humidity.
Get This Report about Termite Control Use
Drywood and dampwood termites enter your house 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 shed their wings and burrow 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 up Christmas lights then take the nails out, you leave behind little 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, a lot houses have raised 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 bottom of the home. .
6 Easy Facts About Termite Control Using Borax Described
So what do you do if you find a termite in your home If you see one drop wing or one termite flying , it doesnt mean you have an infestation. But if you see a group of shed wings or any of the other warning signs noted above, its best to find a professional inspection.
Termites are actually easy to kill, Wilson says, but you need a termiticide to visit our website 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 security specifications, so theyre not as effective.
In case you have an infestation that is isolated to one part of your house, say the door trim, you can substitute the trim, Wilson says. But if you have a full-on termite infestation, you need a bigger scale treatment.
Excitement About Termite Control Using Borax
Subterranean termites have to be cut off from the house at the soil. Pacific Coast Termites creates a chemical barrier between any regions of grime 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 murdered with a timber treatment product like XT2000 Orange Oil, which can be injected under pressure into the timber 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 huge tent is placed over your home, or all of the doors and windows are sealed, and the residence 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.
Termite Control Using Borax for Beginners
Employ 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 yank them down. The discover this info here tiny holes make termite homes. Instead, either abandon the nails in the holes year-round or fill the holes when you eliminate the nails. .
Quickly solve 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 adore wetness.