Termites and Its Treatments

The most common and expensive pest that destroys wood is termites.

Effective termite management is essential since thousands of homes need treatment every year to get rid of these pests, with treatment and damage costs totaling more than $1 billion.

Life Cycle of a Termite

Termites that dwell underground are communal insects that form colonies. There are three castes in a colony: workers, soldiers, and reproductives (king and queen).

When swarms of winged male and female reproductives depart a nest, colonies are first established in the spring and autumn. Termites mate, shed their wings, and construct their nest close to a source of moisture and wood in the ground.

The female, or queen, starts laying eggs after mating. Depending on the species, the eggs hatch in a few weeks or months, and the developing nymphs take two to six months to mature.

Most go on to become employees or military personnel. A portion of the nymphs mature into winged reproductives when the nest achieves its maximum population, and the cycle is then repeated.

How Are Termites Distinct from Ants?

Here are some tips for you to distinguish between termites and ants if you're not sure which pests you have:

• The antennae of termites are comparatively straight.
• Ants' antennae are elbowed.
• There is no waist in termites; the abdomen is simply connected to the thorax.
• Ants appear segmented and have a slender waist.
• The front and back pairs of termites' wings are nearly similar in length.
• Both sets of wings are present in an ant, but the front wings are significantly larger.

How to Identify Termite Damage and Infestations?

The first step in eliminating termites from your home is learning to recognise the signs of an infestation.

Regrettably, it's not as simple as seeing the telltale signs of termites nibbling away at your wood. The first place to look is in the attic, fuse boxes, and any other cracks or holes in your house.

You may also take note of the following:

Mud Tubes

Underground termites construct their own "highways" out of mud tubes to transport the wood they consume into the ground. These dirt and wood mud tubes are about the thickness of a pencil.

Termites are present when these pests are, but just because they go away doesn't mean you're termite-free. Because they haven't built any mud tubes yet, you might be dealing with termites that live in drywood rather than those that live underground.

Clicking Sounds

Something out of the ordinary may be clicking inside your walls. When soldier termites sense danger, they shiver uncontrollably and pound their heads against the wood, creating these peculiar noises to warn their fellow termites.

Paint Peeling

Damage to drywall can be caused by termites allowing moisture to seep into the space between the surface and the paint, resulting in paint bubbles or peeling. If you notice bubbles in your paint along with other symptoms, it could be a sign of a termite infestation.

Hollow Wood

When you tap or knock on wood, it should sound hollow or pounding, which are signs of a termite infestation. You can also use a screwdriver to check the wood. If the wood gives way easily when a screwdriver is pushed into it, it does not mean it is a good indicator.

Why Do You Get Termites?

Termites are drawn to wet soil areas near your foundation. These days, builders take precautions against termite infestation, like: 

• Utilising a concrete base with a gap for air between the wood and earth 
• Removing wood waste when building
• Ensuring a slope away from the base and enough drainage
• Beginning with a reinforced, concrete foundation devoid of cracks
• Keeping wood away from soil
• Using termite-prone construction materials made of treated wood
• Putting up a termite barrier prior to building

How to Avoid Being Infested by Termites

By making your house less inviting to termites, you can stop an infestation in various ways. Here are the best practices for successful prevention:

1. Avoid Too Much Moisture

Due to their attraction to moisture, termites are more likely to infiltrate a building if the ground near the foundation is continuously wet. Install, repair, or move gutters, drains, and downspouts. Fix leaking faucets.

2. Clear the pipes and gutters.

Termites take satisfaction in hiding in warm, damp, and dark places. Thus, to prevent termites from colonizing, make sure to clear out gutters and pipelines on a regular basis.

3. Patch Up the Holes

Make sure all windows and doors are securely closed, and caulk and plug any needless gaps in your foundation, especially where pipes join the wall. By doing this, termites won't be able to enter your home.

4. Cut Off Wood Contact

Because termites are drawn to the cellulose in wood, you should keep tree stumps out of your yard and don't stack firewood up against your house.

Pre-Construction Treatment Steps

Termite control prior to construction, often called soil treatment, is carried out during the initial stages of a property's development. An anti-termite barrier should be established beneath the building structure as part of the pre-construction termite control procedure in order to prevent damage from subterranean termites.

A liquid termiticide must be applied to the soil prior to the pouring of the concrete slab. This termiticide is designed to create a barrier that stops termites from getting into the structure through the soil. On the flip side, wood used in construction may be treated with pesticides that kill or repel termites.

Here is a summary of the steps that must be taken to treat a structure for termites before to construction. 

• It is common practice to apply an anti-termite chemical to the sides and bottom surface of foundations ditches and pits during the excavation phase at a rate of 5 L per square metre of surface area. This will prevent termites from colonising later on.

• Before using the earth's surface for flooring, all wood waste and other trash must be removed.

• Make sure the surface is applied consistently with the necessary height. The surface holes have a depth of 30 centimeters and are 15 centimeters apart.

• The chemical will become an emulsion when water is added, at the concentration specified in the manufacturer's specification.

•Following its application to the surface using suction pumps and sprayers, the emulsion will be transferred to pouring jars in order to fill the holes. The chemical will have plenty of time to permeate the screen's holes.

Treatment of Termites: Importance

• • Termite control in structures is essential because termites can seriously harm structural components.
• Damage to non-cellulosic materials is another extensively studied consequence of termites' feeding habits.
• Subterranean cable covers made of lead, neoprene, plastic, rubber, and leather are destroyed by termites.
• The advantages of doing termite inspections and treatments before construction in order to prevent termites
• Pre-construction treatment is less complicated than post-construction solutions since it is finished before the building is constructed. Treatment for termites has become less expensive as a result.
• Less barriers. Pre-construction anti-termite treatment reduces the number of obstacles to be overcome. 
• Eliminate the infestation as soon as possible. Occupants can move freely around a building, easily accessing all nooks and corners as well as other important structural components. 
• If termites begin to eat away at the walls, foundation or wooden attachments of your home before you choose to have post-construction anti-termite treatment, it may already be too late to treat the termites in your home. It is recommended to treat the area when construction begins in order to eliminate termites at their source.

What Techniques Are Used To Prevent Termites Before Construction?

Pre-construction and post-construction are the two categories of termite control techniques. The best way to stop termites from getting into your home is to utilise pre-construction termite management measures. Included in this list of methods include, but not limited to:

1. Soil TreatmentBy enclosing the foundation in a chemical barrier, this method keeps termites outside the building.

2. Bait systems are used to lure termites into the traps and away from the building by placing baits in the soil around the building at strategic locations.

3. Physical Barriers: Steel or basaltic mesh barriers are used during construction to keep termites out of buildings because they are non-chemical in nature.

Pre-construction termite treatments offer several benefits, including:

• Economical: Pre-construction termite treatments are usually less expensive than post-construction treatments because they don't involve taking down flooring or walls.
• Long-lasting defense: Pre-construction termite treatments can prevent termites from damaging your house for a long time and reduce the need for costly repairs.
• Eco-friendly: Most termite treatments applied prior to construction use safe chemicals that do not pose a risk to the tenants' health.
• Invisible barrier: The termite treatment used before to construction is invisible and will not take away from the aesthetics of your home.

Conclusion 

Termites are a common and expensive pest that destroys wood, causing thousands of homes to need treatment annually. They form colonies with three castes: workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Termites differ from ants due to straight antennae, elbowed antennae, and larger wings. Identifying termite damage is crucial for eliminating infestations.

Termites can be found in various areas, including attics, fuse boxes, and cracks in your house. They build mud tubes to transport wood into the ground, create clicking sounds, cause paint peeling, and make hollow wood when tapped or knocked. Termites are drawn to wet soil near your foundation.

Builders use concrete bases, remove wood waste, ensure drainage, and use treated wood for construction. To prevent termite infestation, avoid moisture, clear pipes and gutters, patch up holes, and cut off wood contact. Pre-construction termite control, or soil treatment, involves establishing an anti-termite barrier beneath the building structure.

To prevent termite infestation in construction structures, apply liquid termiticide to the soil before pouring concrete slabs. Remove wood waste, apply the chemical consistently, and let it permeate the holes. Pre-construction treatment is less complicated than post-construction solutions, as it is completed before the building is constructed.

Pre-construction termite treatment is less expensive and less difficult to implement than post-construction methods. Techniques include soil treatment, bait systems, and physical barriers. These methods offer economic benefits, long-lasting defense, and eco-friendliness, as they don't require demolition of floors or walls and use safe chemicals without posing health risks.

The termite treatment used before construction is an invisible barrier that won't harm the aesthetics of your home.

Content Summary: 

• Termites are communal insects that form colonies with three castes: workers, soldiers, and reproductives (king and queen).
• Termites mate, shed their wings, and build their nest near moisture and wood sources.
• The female or queen starts laying eggs after mating, and the developing nymphs take two to six months to mature.
• Termites have straight antennae, while ants have elbowed antennae.
• Ants have a segmented abdomen, a slender waist, and similar front and back pairs of wings.
• Both sets of wings are present in an ant, but the front wings are larger.
• Termites can be identified by looking in the attic, fuse boxes, and any other cracks or holes in the house.
• Termites construct their own "highways" out of mud tubes to transport the wood they consume into the ground.
• Clicking sounds, paint bubbles, and hollow wood are signs of a termite infestation.
• Termites are drawn to wet soil areas near your foundation.
• Builders take precautions against termite infestation, such as using a concrete base with a gap for air between the wood and earth, removing wood waste when building, ensuring a slope away from the base and enough drainage, starting with a reinforced, concrete foundation devoid of cracks, keeping wood away from soil, using termite-prone construction materials made of treated wood, and putting up a termite barrier prior to building.
• Avoid too much moisture: Install, repair, or move gutters, drains, and downspouts.
• Clear pipes and gutters: Regularly clear out gutters and pipelines.
• Patch up the holes: Securely close all windows and doors, caulk and plug any needless gaps in your foundation.
• Cut off wood contact: Keep tree stumps out of your yard and don't stack firewood up against your house.
• Soil treatment, or pre-construction termite control, is crucial during the initial stages of property development.
• An anti-termite barrier should be established beneath the building structure to prevent damage from subterranean termites.
• A liquid termiticide must be applied to the soil before pouring the concrete slab.
• The chemical should be applied to the sides and bottom surface of foundations during the excavation phase at a rate of 5 L per square metre of surface area.
• Before using the earth's surface for flooring, all wood waste and other trash must be removed.
• The surface should be applied consistently with the necessary height, with surface holes at a depth of 30 centimeters and 15 centimeters apart.
• The chemical will become an emulsion when water is added, at the concentration specified in the manufacturer's specification.
• The emulsion will be transferred to pouring jars to fill the holes.
• Termite control in structures is essential as termites can damage structural components and non-cellulosic materials.
• Termites destroy underground cable covers made of lead, neoprene, plastic, rubber, and leather.
• Pre-construction treatment is less complicated than post-construction solutions, making it less expensive.
• It reduces the number of obstacles to be overcome.
• It is recommended to treat the area when construction begins to eliminate termites at their source.
• Soil Treatment: Enclosing the foundation in a chemical barrier keeps termites outside the building.
• Bait Systems: Baits are placed in the soil around the building at strategic locations.
• Physical Barriers: Steel or basaltic mesh barriers are used during construction.
• Economic: Pre-construction termite treatments are usually less expensive than post-construction treatments.
• Long-lasting Defense: Pre-construction termite treatments can prevent termite damage for a long time.
• Eco-friendly: Most termite treatments used prior to construction use safe chemicals.