TheJudge Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Well, we have some western drywood termites swarming in and outside of our home. The home was tented about 8 years ago, but appparently they have come back with a vengence. We noticed kickout holes probably 4 years ago, and it has kept up since then.We are skeptical to retent the house. Particularly with a baby, and no real comfort that the deadly gas won't somehow cause me and my family to begin to glow 25 years from now.I've heard of heat-treating, but it won't work on the bungalows in the Heights because they are wood framed. I guess the other alternative is to just replace boards that have the infestation.According to the fumigation folks, these western drywoods are much more pervasive than the traditional drywoods. The fumigation guys said that the termites came in to Montelbano's lumber several years ago, when the Mexico fires forced them to buy lumber out west, and that these western termites have cut a swath through portions of the Woodland Heights and the Heights every since. Has anyone heard this story before? Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts on what to do? Some folks have said just let them be, while others are quick to recommend a tent. Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heightslurker Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Well, we have some western drywood termites swarming in and outside of our home. The home was tented about 8 years ago, but appparently they have come back with a vengence. We noticed kickout holes probably 4 years ago, and it has kept up since then.We are skeptical to retent the house. Particularly with a baby, and no real comfort that the deadly gas won't somehow cause me and my family to begin to glow 25 years from now.I've heard of heat-treating, but it won't work on the bungalows in the Heights because they are wood framed. I guess the other alternative is to just replace boards that have the infestation.According to the fumigation folks, these western drywoods are much more pervasive than the traditional drywoods. The fumigation guys said that the termites came in to Montelbano's lumber several years ago, when the Mexico fires forced them to buy lumber out west, and that these western termites have cut a swath through portions of the Woodland Heights and the Heights every since. Has anyone heard this story before? Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts on what to do? Some folks have said just let them be, while others are quick to recommend a tent. Anyone?It is my understanding that the gas does not linger at all after they have removed the tent and properly ventilated the house. It also does not create any residue. From speaking with neighbors, it is common to have to re-tent the house once it has been done. I think that is pretty normal here in the heights... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heightsfan Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Good Afternoon, I have no idea what to look for or know when termites are present ? I am assuming that when homes have a large tent over them its for termite fumigation ? Also how can you determine if you have termites what are the signs or where to look ? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilyheights Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/termites.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heightsfan Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Good Afternoon All, is the only way to check for termites is under the house ? Can these termites penetrate through the wood of these older homes ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Good Afternoon All, is the only way to check for termites is under the house ? Can these termites penetrate through the wood of these older homes ?It is very unlikely that they'll build tunnels on the exterior of the home because they'd dry out, but stranger things have happened. You might also find evidence of termite activity if you strip the paint off of trim or expose joists.Termites can absolutely penetrate wood of older homes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 It is very unlikely that they'll build tunnels on the exterior of the home because they'd dry out, but stranger things have happened. You might also find evidence of termite activity if you strip the paint off of trim or expose joists.Termites can absolutely penetrate wood of older homes.you are absolutely right...remember they will also go after any cellulose product...including the paper covering on sheetrock. you wont even see the damage til you press on the sheetrock and it collapses, forming trails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 I had my house painted last week. I don't know if that is related to what I found on the door jamb of my backdoor Monday, but I saw a pile of what appeared to be sawdust. I swept it away, but today, it reappeared. Below, are two photos of the pile of "sawdust" that reappeared on my door jamb. Is this what I am afraid it is? I have tapped all around the door, and it appears to be solid. I have not gotten under the house yet, to look for signs underneath. Help, anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I had my house painted last week. I don't know if that is related to what I found on the door jamb of my backdoor Monday, but I saw a pile of what appeared to be sawdust. I swept it away, but today, it reappeared. Below, are two photos of the pile of "sawdust" that reappeared on my door jamb.Is this what I am afraid it is? I have tapped all around the door, and it appears to be solid. I have not gotten under the house yet, to look for signs underneath.Help, anyone?Good one. Those look like little turd pellets of some sort. The subterranean termite infestations I've seen have mud tubes, and usually the turds end up being put back in the tubes in the wood, and after long periods of time you end up with 2x4s made of termite turds. Have you checked the door itself for infestation?It could also be dust from a carpenter bee. Most people aren't aware of them, and I wasn't either until one started boring a hole in the door trim of my house up in East Texas...made the most perfect round hole in the wood, and there was always a pile of sawdust underneath where the hole was, until I offed the offending bee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Good one. Those look like little turd pellets of some sort. The subterranean termite infestations I've seen have mud tubes, and usually the turds end up being put back in the tubes in the wood, and after long periods of time you end up with 2x4s made of termite turds. Have you checked the door itself for infestation?It could also be dust from a carpenter bee. Most people aren't aware of them, and I wasn't either until one started boring a hole in the door trim of my house up in East Texas...made the most perfect round hole in the wood, and there was always a pile of sawdust underneath where the hole was, until I offed the offending bee.Yes, they are more akin to pellets, as opposed to sawdust. In my garage, which IS infested with termites, there is a steady stream of sawdust falling all around. I don't see these pellets there, which suggests that something else is going on at my back door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgs1419 Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 That looks similar to a perpetual sawdust/pellet pile I had around a tub surround in our downstairs bath. When I tore the tub out, I found a colony of ants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Good one. Those look like little turd pellets of some sort. The subterranean termite infestations I've seen have mud tubes, and usually the turds end up being put back in the tubes in the wood, and after long periods of time you end up with 2x4s made of termite turds. Have you checked the door itself for infestation? It could also be dust from a carpenter bee. Most people aren't aware of them, and I wasn't either until one started boring a hole in the door trim of my house up in East Texas...made the most perfect round hole in the wood, and there was always a pile of sawdust underneath where the hole was, until I offed the offending bee. For anyone with a carpenter bee issue this is the abosolute killer for them, and these people ship quickly and are very helpful. Bug Clinic Webpage And get one of these to dispense it Link to the Webpage Red I think that is carpenter ants they are more inclined to pellets than anything else. This product above takes care of them too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Red I think that is carpenter ants they are more inclined to pellets than anything else. This product above takes care of them too.Thanks for the insights.Can I assume carpenter ants are eating wood, too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Thanks for the insights.Can I assume carpenter ants are eating wood, too?Although it does not "eat" cellulose, it can chew and destroy wood faster than termites. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat the wood where they nest. Instead, they first shred through the wood channelinggalleries in which the main nest will reside.Do not use liquid material in these nest sights as it will certainly fail to reach all sections of the nest. Dusting is the only choice and Drione is the best dust to use. It has several benefits including a long residual, a desiccant impact and where you treat, insects cannot live. I like this feature because I am able to eliminate nest sights by treating specific areas. One by one you are able to locate hard to find nests by the process of elimination. In most cases, cracks and crevices which are around the nest sight will provide enough of a route for the dust to penetrate when you treat. If you need, drill 1/4" holes in window frames, wall voids or other places nests are thought to be which are difficult to treat. This effort will allow for better dust coverage and quicker control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Thanks for the insights.Can I assume carpenter ants are eating wood, too?You betcha, look for bigger Black Ants, crawling around in that area. Follow one of them , they usually follow one path in and out of where they are eating. I believe they are the number 2 destroyer of homes, next to termites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heightslurker Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Those look like drywood termites, coming from a person who had a house that was infested with them all over the place...i'll never forget the sight of those pellets/sawdust piles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 It is strange. I have not seen an ant, termite, flying insect, or anything else. All I see is those piles in the morning or evening. I am going to look under the house this weekend, but in the meantime, I have sprayed ant&bug killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I forgot to tell you guys about my "pest problem" at my new house. I have a Racoon,a BIG BIG Racoon that eats my dog's leftover kibble at night. It is quite a show, he dunks them in the water bowl to try to make them softer and possibly get some gravy going on it. My 4yr.old was absolutely in awe, but my wife was like a kid during Christmas. I got some pics, and will try to put them on, but I have been unable to find the usb cord for the Sony since I moved.sorry to stray off topic, he is a pest to me, a new pet to the girls though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Those look like drywood termites, coming from a person who had a house that was infested with them all over the place...i'll never forget the sight of those pellets/sawdust piles... Found this on the web, looks like the lurker hit the nail on the head! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heightslurker Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 It is strange. I have not seen an ant, termite, flying insect, or anything else. All I see is those piles in the morning or evening. I am going to look under the house this weekend, but in the meantime, I have sprayed ant&bug killer.We never saw a termite either..the only evidence that the infestation is still active is the return of the piles after you sweep them away...they are very tidy by nature and push the debris out of "exit" holes in the timber they are chewing on...they eat the wood in a different manner than the sub teranian type..a drywood horror story of sorts was the one time we were renovating and began to tear out some sheetrock at the bottom of a wall and we hit the motherload-jackpot of pellet debris as the the years of accumulation of it in our walls was finally released and it spilled out all over the place.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 heightslurker, I am having a very hard time thanking you for ruining my day. Seriously, I appreciate all of the posts and suggestions. This house was tented before I bought it. Sounds like the little bastards have returned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heightslurker Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 heightslurker, I am having a very hard time thanking you for ruining my day. Seriously, I appreciate all of the posts and suggestions. This house was tented before I bought it. Sounds like the little bastards have returned. Yeah, no problem... And on that same note, the first rule I learned upon buying an old home is "if you don't laugh you'll cry"... After commiserating with many of my neighbors who have all tented atleast once (if not twice) during their ownership, these 'little bastards' are very common in our parts.. i'm curious, how long ago was the house tented? After knowing what i've learned, i fully expect to tent again before all is said and done...with all the wood in the heights they just jump from house to house and it's just a matter of time before they make their rounds back to your house again.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I bought the place in May 2004. The previous owner bought it in 1999, and she is the one who tented it, so somwhere between 1999 and 2004. Like I said earlier, I am going to do a thorough inspection this weekend. I will attempt to deal with this issue myself first. If that doesn't cure it, the tent comes next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheels Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 FYI, the best Pest Control guy I know is Tony Thayer who owns Amrid Pest Control 713-880-3479. He is a Heights resident, too. Very good with the older homes. He does not do tenting, but he can tell you what will be the best course of action to take. I would have him inspect first. He is not out to sell you a termite job, so he will give you his honest opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heightsfan Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Hello All, hope your week goes well ! Someone mentioned to me that Terminax does not treat for Drywood termites ? Orkin treats for both main types of termites ? Any experience ,challenges, or comments with either company ? Also is their a key difference between the Bait & Monitoring and Liquid Treatment ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 The problem with tenting for drywood termites is, as stated above, once the tent is removed there is no residual effect. There is a product that they inject into the wood which has a residual effect. It is far cheaper than tenting. I cannot remember what the product is called but I believe Long Point pest control does it.Many of the exterminators will push tenting, but of course it cost way more, (possibly that is why they push it!). I would investigate the injection spot treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsets Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 RedScare,Just wondering how your possible termite issue turned out. Did you have to tent? I have the dreaded pile o' sawdust in a corner of my living room, and I just had Amrid out to investigate. They're recommending tenting for drywood termites. I am not happy.We just had major electrical work done on the garage apartment, and now this.... I feel like we're living in the money pit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgallardo Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 On 10/4/2006 at 1:09 PM, heightslurker said: Those look like drywood termites, coming from a person who had a house that was infested with them all over the place...i'll never forget the sight of those pellets/sawdust piles... What was the treatment you considered on your house to treat for drywood termites? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 On 12/31/2019 at 2:13 PM, sgallardo said: What was the treatment you considered on your house to treat for drywood termites? I had drywood termites in my bungalow home. Ended having to call several companies to come out and give us a quote. Best is probably Mark Pfister but we ended up going with End O Pests just because Pfister charges I want to say $250 or maybe $150 just to come on out and look at your home. Think we ended up paying around $1200 for our one story bungalow but don't quote me on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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