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#192788 - 07/08/05 07:16 PM termites
homebuyer Offline
newbie

Registered: 02/11/05
Posts: 38
not really a gardening question...but don't know where else to post. We just pulled out some rotten wood and found tons of what we are 99% sure are termites and tons of eggs. We sprayed some ant and bug killer stuff (I know that's not going to do the trick) and i tried to burn as many of the eggs as I could and poured bleach on the spot. We removed the wood that I think had the majority of the termites on it. Any body have any suggestion on how to work on this problem without spending a fortune? We'll call the guy who did our termite inspection about 5 months ago cuz i'm pretty sure that termites couldn't do the damage to the wood they did in 5 months. We were told there wasn't a problem...but I don't know anything about termites so who knows. I'm going to be freaking out all wknd though and it's going to kill me to not be doing anything about it. Suggestions PLEASE

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#192789 - 07/09/05 04:47 AM Re: termites
saugen48 Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/09/03
Posts: 2504
Loc: Halifax, Canada.
I would suggest that you call the professional, especially if this wood damage is on your house or one of the outbuildings. Many times people will think they have eradicated the problem, only to find a whole wall needs replacing.
Here are some tips to try and keep them away:
Eliminate Moisture Problems

Repair leaking faucets, water pipes, and a/c units

Divert water from foundation

Keep gutters and down-spouts clean

Ventilate crawl spaces

Remove excessive plant cover and wood mulch

Get rid of standing water on roof

Keep all vents clear and open

Seal entry points around water and utility lines or pipes
Remove Food Sources

Keep firewood, lumber, or paper away from foundation or crawl space

Get rid of stumps and debris near house

Place screens on outside vents

Check decks and wooden fences for damage

Wood on your home shouldn't contact the soil

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#192790 - 07/09/05 10:56 AM Re: termites
Joe_Guy Offline
veteran

Registered: 03/21/04
Posts: 1536
There are termiticides that you can buy and apply yourself. I don't know where you live, but Home Depot sells it in their gardening section. One type is a spray can that has an attachment that pierces the wood and goes directly into it.

Don't freak out. Termite infestations can be small and confined to certain areas, so don't start imagining they're all over the place eating your house.

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#192791 - 07/11/05 09:33 AM Re: termites
FranS Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/21/02
Posts: 42126
when they do an inspection, they look for visible signs of termite infestation. can't report on what they don't see nd they don't take things down/off the house to look, either..

how did you find it.

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#192792 - 07/11/05 09:51 AM Re: termites
homebuyer Offline
newbie

Registered: 02/11/05
Posts: 38
We pulled some railroad ties out that had been used for landscaping about 2 or 3 ft away from the front of the house. When we pulled one of the ties out it was swarming with these little bugs which I'm 99% sure are termites and tons of eggs. The ties were almost all either rotted or eaten away at on the inside...not sure which it is. We found out from a neighbor that the previous owners had termite problems about 3 years ago...if this is true they didn't disclose that to us. We have a professional coming out in a couple days so we'll see. We can't see any in the spot where we first saw them. Don't know if we killed them all or if they just moved deeper into the soil or something. We went and got some stuff from home depot. We were told to wait to do anything until after the inspector gets here so we're just waiting now. Thank you all for your replies. Really appreciate it!

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#192793 - 07/11/05 10:19 AM Re: termites
ront02769 Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/03/04
Posts: 9739
Loc: New England
from the description my GUESS might be carpenter ants instead of termites. one way to tell is that a termite's body is basically the same size all the way down while an ant's is in distinct 'segments'. termites also have straight antennae whilst those of a carpenter ant form a right angle.

ront

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#192794 - 07/11/05 10:48 AM Re: termites
FranS Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/21/02
Posts: 42126
oh well, inspectors don't inspect that stuff. just the house.

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