How Termites Eat Wood—and the Science That Stops Them If you ever looked closely at a worker termite, you’d probably wonder how something so small and soft—something you could crush between two fingers—can destroy solid wood. The hardest part of a termite is its jaws. Unlike human jaws, which move up and down, termite jaws […]
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They Found a Wing I was speaking with a customer in San Marcos. She lived in a two-year-old home in a brand-new neighborhood. I’m not sure what prompted the termite inspection, but the inspector reported finding a single termite wing in her attic—and that was enough to spark a quiet panic. Neighborhoods operate differently today.
Why Termites Love New Homes One is like a well-done strip steak—dark, dry, and chewy. The other is a medium-rare ribeye—red, juicy, and melts in your mouth. To drywood termites, the strip steak is redwood. The ribeye is Douglas fir. Before the 1970s, most homes in Southern California were built with redwood. It’s a harder,
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California Termite Is Hiring Thanks to a strong year of growth, California Termite is seeking a full-time Termite Technician to join our team. This is a ground-floor opportunity with unlimited potential for the right individual. The ideal candidate holds a Branch 3 Applicator’s license and has experience with basic wood repairs. However, just as important
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Inspecting an Attic for Termites Last week, we inspected the outside of the house. This week, attics. Maybe there’s something wrong with me, but I like inspecting attics. Sure, they’re dark, dirty, and full of hazards—but they’re never the same, and they’re a crucial part of a complete termite inspection. I compare inspecting an attic
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Why You Should Borate Your Attic—And Any Other Unpainted Wood in Your Home Borate is one of the best ways to protect the unpainted wood in your home from future termite infestation—and to help contain any activity that may already be present. Exterior paint does a decent job of protecting wood on the outside of
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Borating an Attic Space Termites spread by swarming, and they can enter your attic through vents. Since attic wood is usually unpainted, anywhere they land they can start chewing. A borate treatment prevents this by making the wood inedible to termites. The borates work by killing the protozoa in a termite’s stomach, leaving them unable
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Is it Worth is to Re-Screen Your Vents? Some termite companies offer gable vent re-screening as a way to prevent termites from entering the attic. However, gable vents are just one potential entry point. Most attics also have soffit vents along the lower perimeter, which are difficult to access from inside and would look unsightly
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7 Surprises That Can Sidetrack a Termite Fumigation Fumigation isn’t exactly fun. You need to bag all your food, find somewhere else to stay for at least two nights, and trust a company to pump toxic gas into your home while you’re away. If you’re going through all that trouble, you’ll want to make sure
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Death, Taxes and Termites I joke that termites are like your kids—you’re never really done with them. Even if you tent your home, chances are you’ll deal with termites again. In fact, it might be more likely. That’s because termite fumigation doesn’t offer any residual protection. Theoretically, termites could re-infest your home the day after
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