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There are three main types of termites: drywood, dampwood and subterranean. Each kind of termite colony includes employees (who eat your house), soldiers (who defend others from predators such as ants) and swarmers (flyers who locate new places 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 sheer, tan wings although there are color variations. Workers 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 absolute 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 employees 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 timber that's loaded with moisture. They often strike wood that is making contact with the ground and are found in areas with high rainfall or humidity.

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

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Drywood and dampwood termites enter your house through small cracks, often around window frames throughout cracks in the caulk. Make sure you 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 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 burrow 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 states , mud tubes can stretch from the ground up through thin atmosphere to connect with the base of the home. .

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So what can you do if you find a termite in your home 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 actually simple to kill,'' Wilson says, but you need a termiticide to do 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 house, say the door trimming, you can substitute the trimming, Wilson says. But if you have a full-on termite infestation, you need a bigger scale treatment.

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Subterranean termites must get cut away from the home at the ground. Pacific Coast Termites makes a chemical barrier between any areas of grime and the house, in addition to around the entire house. It acts as a shield the termites cant break through.

Drywood and dampwood termites can be murdered with a wood 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 manner 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 procedure can take anywhere from six hours to one week, depending on the type of infestation.

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Apply a good, quality coating of paint on your house, since termites wont eat through paint. Ensure that all windows, doorframes and foundation gaps are caulked and sealed. Dont staple or nail up Christmas lights then pull them down. Even the tiny holes create termite homes. Instead, either abandon the nails in the pockets year-round or fill the holes when you eliminate the nails. .

Quickly solve any plumbing leaks, standing water on your roof her latest blog or other issues involving decaying wood. Provide proper ventilation under your raised home to keep that area dry. Subterranean termites adore wetness.