Sunday, July 10, 2005
Unique Way To Find Termites
Often it can take years for termite damage to become visible, and by that time there can already be significant damage. So how do you identify termites before the damage? This St. Louis Post-Dispatch article reports on how a dog is being used by a St. Louis termite inspector. Just like bomb sniffing , dogs can be trained for termite sniffing. A UF study found that trained dogs can be 96% accurate. So if you're buying a house and want to make sure it's free of termites, this might be something to consider if you can find it. This St. Louis inspector charges a minimum of $250.
# posted by Ken @ 1:08 PM 
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Black dust could be a sign of termites
As I've mentioned in previous posts, you can sometimes identify termites without seeing the termites or their damage. This Mercury News article provides some more insights into this. The writer of the article answers a reader's question regarding the presence of black dust around a cracked windowsill.
If the black dust has tan-colored specks with a granular texture, the writer warned it is likely to be termites.
Being from the Bay Area of California, the writer mentions that the two most common termites are dry wood and subterranean. Both are attracted to wood with some moisture, and if the window happens to be in a place that's prone to condensation, that could be the problem.
The writer also mentioned that the dust may not be termites. It could be mold, mildew or dry rot. In this case the black dust would be grey and powdery.
If the black dust has tan-colored specks with a granular texture, the writer warned it is likely to be termites.
Being from the Bay Area of California, the writer mentions that the two most common termites are dry wood and subterranean. Both are attracted to wood with some moisture, and if the window happens to be in a place that's prone to condensation, that could be the problem.
The writer also mentioned that the dust may not be termites. It could be mold, mildew or dry rot. In this case the black dust would be grey and powdery.
# posted by Ken @ 2:36 PM
