All posts in “wood”

Down tubes and termites

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Desert termites – yep these little gals are a bit on the weird side. They look for food  24/7/365 and they build tubes up and down. Instead of having to go back the same route, they go down possibly to save time on getting back to the ground and their source of water or moisture.

Termites are not generally a Do It Yourself pest issue, so call a Pest Management Professional for the best plan to keep them out.

Grass eating termites

termites222     Termites eat dead wood and often they can find it on live trees. They can eat the bark or sometimes a tree limb will die and they can eat that.

 

Here is Arizona they consume dead grass, dead cactus and anything that contains cellulose.

 

Don’t panic, they are just doing what they are supposed to do – consume dead wood.

 

I often recommend just keeping any eye out for the termites, it isn’t always necessary to treat especially since they are just eating the dead wood.

Ohh ohhh what’s that poppin up through the carpeting?

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Yep it’s termites, not surprising to anyone in the business. If there is a crack in the foundation slab then it is probable that you might get termites breaching the slab. That slab crack serves at a gateway right into your home and very little except termiticide will stop them for good. I suggest Termidor HE,

State-of-the-art molecular technology dramatically improves the transport of the Termidor HE Copack active ingredient into the soil creating an Enhanced Protection Zone.

It utilizes an advanced nonrepellent, or “undetectable,” liquid technology that termites cannot see, smell, taste, or avoid.

How much termite pressure is on your home?

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Photo by FMC

So just how much pressure is on your home, that question is important and many factors play into this equation.

  1. If you live on the East Coast or Gulf of Mexico the pressure will be greater than if you lived up North. Yes you do have termites in the North but because of he extreme cold the pressure will be reduced.
  2. Water plays a big part of the pressure round your home. When people started to settle in Arizona they brought in non-native plants which required more watering. Flood and drip irrigation = humidity level goes up.
  3. We sometimes play right into the termites hand by building structures right where they live in the ground. We also allow wood to touch the ground, this really makes it easier on the termites.
  4. If you add onto your home insist on a pretreat, even if your build a shed pretreat the soil before the concrete slab goes into place.

Termites in the kitchen – it does happen

 

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This little termite mud tube popped up inside a kitchen cabinet, actually came up the inside crack from the stem wall of the home. Homeowner quickly spotted the activity and gave us a call to perform a termite treatment on their house.

Always be on the lookout for mud or dirt staining with your home, termites build mud tubes or tunnels on the outside foundation wall to gain access into the house.

Those termites just won’t give up, will they?

 

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One thing I have noticed over my years is that those termites just keep on going, much like that Energizer Bunny. They are searching       24/7/365 and won’t stop until they find food, they may turn and go another way but they keep on going.

 

In nature they just set off in search of food, they follow roots and sometimes get to concrete and turn left or right and follow it again until they find wood or food.

 

So if you see trails like this, or mud tubes or down tubes hanging from a ceiling it is time to call your Pest Management Professional.

 

Call ProBest Pest Management at 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176 for your termite or pest inspection.

Termites can’t read…

I guess it is somewhat ironic that the termites found this box and decided to eat the cardboard. They didn’t get to the bait but they were on their way into the box and the contents. This came from one of my customers that had this box in their garage and the termites found the cardboard. Termite will eat anything that has cellulose in it and will often times cause damage to drywall and books. Got Termites –  give ProBest Pest Management a call at 602-249-7378 for quality termite work .

Gilbert termite control

Gilbert termite control

 

 

 

 

 

Why won’t the termites give up?

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That is a great question. I guess when your hungry you just keep right at it until you find the food. Termites just keep searching 24/7/365 until they find a food source. What does a termite issue look like? They build mud tubes similar to the picture, this one is unique because it was lengthy. But if you find something like this call your Professional Termite Company and/or ProBest Pest Management at 602-249-7378

How is it possible to get water damage in Arizona?

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Water damage is a concern across the U.S. whether you are in Florida or Arizona. I guess the only difference is the abundance of moisture. With humidity levsls at 99+% in Florida the chances are greater that you will have issues.  Anytime that wood gets wet and then dries, then gets wet and dries again you can expect some type of wood decay to take place. I often see this damage occurring at roof lines or at fireplace chimney areas.

Depending on where you live this wood damage may affect your termite inspection. So it is important to stop the water before it gets worse.

Wood destroyers and termites

Wood destroyers, including termites and wood rot can play havoc on your home. Whenever you place wood directly on the ground, you are inviting termites and other  creatures to that area. It is always better to place firewood or any wood for that matter on blocks or pavers. Ideally having wood stored just for one season at a time is best, there is less chance of buildup of pests in general. But as always – please wear gloves and only take into the structure what you are going to use immediately. If it is cold and you warm up the wood, the insects living inside may try to come out and  infest the home. So here are a few Quick Tips:

  1. Always place firewood or wood on blocks or pavers rather than directly on ground.
  2. Keep that wood pile away from the home.
  3. Always wear gloves moving wood.
  4. Store only the wood you will use that season.
  5. Only bring in enough wood to use that day.
wood destroyers

wood destroyers

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