Subterranean termite damage

Subterranean termite damage

There are two kinds of houses in Tucson.  The houses that have termites and the houses that eventually will have termites.  Subterranean termites are a common problem, and left undetected can cause serious damage.  Approximately $4.5 billion is spent annually in the U.S. to control subterranean termite infestations and repair damage they cause.  The most common house infesting termite is the subterranean termite.  Subterranean termites travel through a mud shelter tube from the soil to their food source.  Their food source typically is the wood parts of a structure.  Subterranean termites will also eat the back of the sheet rock in the wall, cardboard, books, pictures hanging from a wall, and anything made from cellulose.  Sub-termites may gain access through cracks in the slab or seams where plumbing and electrical lines penetrate the concrete.  They can also gain access from the perimeter of your home.  A soil treatment can be performed to eliminate a current infestation and prevent future infestations.  The goal of a soil treatment is to establish a continuous chemical barrier around a structure and around pipes leading into a structure.  If a soil treatment is done correctly a barrier can last for many years.  There are two types of termiticides used in soil treatments, they are repellents and non repellents.  Repellents are designed to be detected by the termites and intended to keep termites from entering a treated zone.  Non repellents are designed to allow termites to travel through the treated zone.  Once the termites go through the liquid barrier they will carry the chemical back to the colony.  Once this is done a colony can be eliminated.  AMA uses only non repellent termiticides and has found that they are superior to the repellents.

Termite Tube on Foundation

Termites are structured very similar to an ant colony.  The majority of the colony population is made up of worker termites.  Worker termites are responsible for constructing tunnels, caring for eggs, and securing the food supply. The soldier termites are responsible for defending the colony. Winged reproductive termites produce the offspring in the colony and swarm at certain times of the year.
There are two common types of termites found in Arizona, they are “drywood” and “Subterranean” termites.  Subterranean termites live in the soil and leave mud shelter tubes and exit holes as a sign of infestation. Drywood termites live entirely in wood and leave fecal pellets and frass next to infested area.
Termites can not determine the difference between the wood material from a tree in your back yard and the wood material found in your homes structure.  The can infest almost every part of your home and can enter through a crack or opening as thin as a piece of paper.

Termite fun fact: Termites cause more damage then most natural disaster (tornadoes,hurricanes, wind and hail storms) combined.