All posts in “desert termites”

Termite failures

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Termite failures on structures

What kind of issues cause failures?

Failures include:

  1. Planters next to the foundation.
  2. Stucco below grade of slab.
  3. Any wood to soil.
  4. Tree roots or stumps within the area of foundation.
  5. Improper pretreat to slab.
  6. Buried construction material below slab.
  7. To much water against the slab, drip irrigation and flood irrigation.
  8. After the slab is poured, the bath-trap is disturbed.
  9. People walking on pretreat material before the slab is poured.
  10. Digging up the post treatment, and then forgetting to notify the Termite company.

failures

There are many items that can cause problems when thinking about a structure break and thinking outside the box is helpful. So let’s imagine that you are having issues near a kitchen in the ceiling – the first step is checking outside. See if there are any mud tubes. Then examine inside, blocked by cabinets – its probably coming up within the inside of the foundation. Angle drilling may be necessary. I think it is like detective work, examining the clues and coming up with the treatment options. So good luck and keep at it and you will figure it out.

Reader photo’s – termites in Arizona

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[slideshow_deploy id=’19024′]

Gnathamitermes perplexus, these are crust-building subterranean desert termites, they feed on grass,  dried plant parts and weathered outer surfaces of woody tissues of all kinds. They may also feed on old fences and occasionally drywall paper.

Usually not to worry about any effects to any trees or bushes, termites eat dead wood. So not to worry!

Thanks to Maura for taking the pictures.

Have you seen these? Termite tunnels or tubes.

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Have you seen these? Termite tunnels or tubes.

So you’re walking around your home and you look down and see this thing made out of mud or dirt, what is it? These are subterranean mud shelter tubes or tunnels. It’s the super highway for termites, it protects them from air, sunlight and predators. Here is Arizona we have another termite (Gnathamitermes) and this subterranean termite often plasters fences, tree trucks and cactus.

     

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