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There are three main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Every kind of termite colony includes employees (who consume your home ), soldiers (who defend others from predators such as ants) and swarmers (flyers who find new places to colonize). Although you dont generally see termites unless theyre swarming (flying), its great to know how to identify them, Wilson states.

Drywood termites commonly have a brown body with a reddish head. Swarmers have absolute, tan wings but there are colour variations. Workers 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 sheer wings. These workers also resemble maggots.

Subterranean termites are somewhat smaller than their above-ground brethren with black bodies and sheer wings to the flyers. The workers are smaller, white and maggot-like.

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Drywood termites are partial to dry, nondecayed timber and often end up in attics, floor boards and window frames.

Dampwood termites like decaying wood or wood that's rich with moisture. They often strike wood that is making contact with the ground and are found in regions with high rainfall or humidity.

Subterranean termites will eat soft (moisture-rich) wood and drywood, but they initially make contact with your home through the ground.

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Drywood and dampwood termites enter your home through small cracks, often around window frames throughout cracks in the home. Be sure to check around windows frequently 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. As an 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 seep into cracks in the homes foundation. In regions like the San Francisco Bay Area, a lot homes have raised foundations, Wilson states. Termites build mud tubes up to the bottom floor, often along posts. But even in the absence of posts, Wilson sayssand tubes can extend from the ground up through thin atmosphere to connect with the bottom of the home. .

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So what do you do if you find a termite in your house If you see one shed wing or one termite flying , it doesnt mean you've got an infestation. But if you see a group of 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 states, but you need a termiticide to perform it. Unfortunately, good pesticides are not available to the public. Most home shops promote termite spray, but these are watered down to meet public safety specifications, so theyre not as effective.

If you have an infestation that's isolated to one portion of your home, state the door trim, you can replace the trim, Wilson says. But if you've got a full-on termite infestation, you need a larger scale treatment.

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Subterranean termites must be cut off from the home at the ground. Pacific Coast Termites creates a chemical barrier between any areas of dirt and the house, in addition to around the site web entire home. 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 wood through ink-pen-sized holes. This product saturates the wood and will prevent future infestations. Treating a moderate infestation this way takes about four to six hours.

Homes which are massively infested (you can see termites everywhere) can require fumigation. Either a huge tent is placed over your house, or all 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.

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Employ a good, quality coat of exterior 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 yank them down. The tiny holes create termite homes. Instead, either leave the nails in the pockets year-round or fill out the holes when you eliminate the nails. .

Quickly solve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof or other difficulties involving decaying wood. Provide appropriate ventilation under your raised home to keep that area dry. Subterranean termites love wetness.