How to identify termites in 10 minutes - The Houston Home Inspector

[@SheDrawsThread]

This was really helpful & informative! For those who prefer not to use chemicals, due to respiratory sensitivity/post covid etc, studies show cinnamon, cedarwood, clove, orange, neem & tea tree oil are potent for killing termites. *Tea tree oil is especially effective due to it's antimicrobial properties. The relationship between the termites and the microbes is a mutualism, because both species benefit from the relationship.* The termites masticate the wood to mechanically break it down, and the microbes chemically digest the wood into smaller molecules that the termites are able to absorb and utilize. Oils may be sprayed directly on the termites or applied in full strength to the wood. Some oils, like orange oil and tea tree oil, may be used in fumigation as well. If spraying termites directly, use *4 drops per gallon of water,* increasing the concentration if needed. More than one application of any of the oils may be necessary. For best results, use therapeutic grade oils only. According to the Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, most essential oils are believed to have a neurotoxic effect on insects. homeguides.sfgate.com/cinnamon-oil-natural-pesticide-termites-86406.html

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Good info!

[@etinsc522]

Thank you so much!

[@emilywelsh1072]

Just be careful if you have pets! Diffusing essential oils can be toxic to dogs and cats, depending on what kinds you use.

[@SheDrawsThread]

@@emilywelsh1072 Absolutely! A great tip for everyone to remember.

[@MaheshWalatara]

This video is worth saving. Thank you.

[@JE-pq4wp]

Really awesome information. Very simple and efficiently given lot of good advice too. Thank you. From Asia. 👍🙏❤

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Thank You

[@benroosa2328]

You did a great job in my humble opinion I just realized we had termites in our shop but they have already eaten an entire outside wall by the time we noticed them

[@bettysmith4527]

Oh no, do you live in the south?!

[@aimaniftikhar7400]

U describe it very clearly. That any one can easily sort out of thier termite type

[@raudelsoto2656]

You deserve all my likes. Thanks for the video.

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Much appreciated!

[@VK3CSJ]

Thanks Chris, I'm in Melbourne Australia I live in a Barn all timber construction. We have termites in our back room all the skirting boards in that one room have been eaten, funny thing is you dig a screw driver in to it and rip the wood apart and you may find anywhere between 1 to 5 termites its as if they've been and gone. I have removed a some plaster board to the ceiling and found pretty much all the bottom part of the walls have been affected and where you have two vertical pieces together there is a tube running up the gap and the top has been totally eaten into but again no sign of termites. I need to remove more of the plasterboard but its scarying me what I might find. We do have a moisture problem where flooding after a really heavy down pour of rain will happen in the back room, it seems that most of the bottom runs of timber of the wall has suffered from water rot together with termite damage. Your video helped to identify and the only termites I have seen are the little white guys the Albino Termite with a small head, we are on a concrete slab as well. Your referrence to the home insurance was interesting I'm looking into that as I type. We've been here only 11 years, I have no idea how long these termites have been here, I was please to here you say they generally move slow, how long would termites, the Albino type, go through say a meter of wood roughly....? P.S. I luv your super quality microphone but you don't really need it in your face, you can adjust gain and compression levels so that mic' can sit on you table and you'll still be picked up ok, either that or wear a Lapel Microphone, but having a microphone in your face isn't a good look for video...just saying....;)

[@Methodical2]

Nice tutorial. I am starting a plan to do the barrier treatment soon to prevent termites. My neighbor said that a pest company determined they have termites, so I will be treating my foundation.

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Always a good strategy

[@Methodical2]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston Yep. Have to get ahead of those jokers. I saw a video where they literally destroyed a house and it has to be demolished and rebuilt. Knowing insurance doesn't cover such damage, it scared the crap out of me and put me on high alert. I will be treating everything from my deck posts to my shed posts.

[@ColinBrazier]

Thanks Chris, went back and rewatched your video 16 months later, now that I am in the process of WDI licensing etc you make sense, we both speak the language of Termite :-)

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Good luck on the WDI License. I have a study guide if you are in Texas. It can help you pass the test.

[@ColinBrazier]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston yep in Texas

[@anjumsiddiqi3033]

great video! I just found some colonies of termites in garage wall. and removing every thing next to it and try to take care of it soon.

[@veradowns2736]

How did you find them?

[@theamonte1]

Wow, thanks. Great video with fascinating facts. I want to learn more about the last one that wreaks the fastest damage.

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

I can dive down to the specifics on each one in the future.

[@christopherdekonstrukt444]

I first saw this August '21 when I discovered one of these cartons in the spot above the bathroom door and the ceiling in the master bedroom. I have since had a liquid barrier put in and the house fared well during Hurricane Ida. Just last month I tore down what looked like water damaged paneling in the garage around the overhead door and found the entire header is eaten away. All damage will be replaced by pressure treated wood and will fix as I run into it. All inactive now, there was a bait system contract when I first bought the house, I upgraded to a liquid barrier.

[@juliofuentes1644]

Awesome job describing the topic!

[@susiequsie1980]

Great video! Valuable information

[@dinotopher770]

Thanks for your post but id like to see a drywood nest

[@lr937]

Use to live in a house made out of cinder blocks, house still standing, no termites, no wood, no trees damaged in the process to built it

[@ToxaJart]

Thank you for an excellent video!

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Thank you for watching

[@Jason-um3tz]

Yep explained pretty good

[@zachmills3396]

Keep it up Chris. Awesome video

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Appreciate it!

[@LazzarrusLong]

Thanks man, this vid was helpful!

[@genevadixon8426]

It was strangely calming, to watch you talk about this awful topic; thanks for the explanations. We had our house treated for subterranean termites years ago, and I just found out, in your video, that we most likely have damage. No one told me that by the time you notice the insects, you already have damage. No inspection showed damage, but they didn’t look in the walls. Ahh, insects. There’s more of them, than us.

[@bettysmith4527]

They are most likely to eat your sill plate, that is a hard place to see and inside the walls.

[@eddiebodin6604]

Use a Non-Repellent, Fipronil is the active ingredient in Termidor, Taurus SC, and Fuse also includes imidacloprid.

[@tymartin2293]

Those products will kill the three(subterranean, drywoodand from) termites he mentioned? And digging a ditch will kill the termites that's already in the home?

[@travelpk2224]

Wonderful explanation

[@degoogled7774]

10 year coverage for termidor treatment of foundation or property. There is another termidor product that my company uses (not sure about others). This chemical is for our quarterly outside pest control treatment. This chemical is not effective for 10 years but does effectively for treat for termites and other pest for about 5 months.

[@WadizzleDrumfizzle]

Awesome facts! Diggin the new setup Chris! Whats the back story on the raccoon in the background lol

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

I am doing a podcast with Mary today. I can tell everyone that story.

[@unbiasedreviews5978]

Very informative! Thanks!

[@tuyetvo4353]

Stucco bubble / that is signal of termite ?

[@joseluisruiz3789]

Thank yoi for this. I rent a house that was made in 1920 and recently got permission from my landlord to turn my basement into a small shop for my type of work and found what looks like termite poop on my work bench that ive been cleaning up for about 2 months now, i noticed that i get some of it at least once a week and i did notice 1 wood panel from the basement ceiling that does look very damaged but i cant see or hear any termites. My landlordd said that they did treat the house for termites a while back but ive been living in this house for 10 years now and not sure what i should do about this. Ideally i would like to do this my self but i dont even know where to start since i see the poop on my work bench but dont see the termites at all. 🤷‍♂️ i do see a sign that says the wood was treated back in 1983 which literally the year i was born 😅

[@alexclark6768]

Thanks! can there be a whole training series on termite inspections? Its really hard to find any good info on how to inspect for them

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

I can work on something like this! Termites are one of my favorite topics.

[@alexclark6768]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston Sweet! Thanks! I have my license in KS/MO area and I've bee doing as much research as possible to learn to be a termite inspector. Getting certified is easy but they provide very little info on what to actually look for.

[@ssshady08]

Agreed 💯

[@waltera.8238]

Great info. 👍

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Thanks for watching!

[@chunlianqiu5340]

Hi Dan, your video is so helpful to the currently crazy people like me who is experiencing the hardeat time struggling with existed termites in the house. I live in South Florida, which is the areas with the worst termite problems. We didn't mention any potential subterranean termite problems until last month, when swarms of termites flew into my house at night and I almost fainted on the spot. The next day, I couldn't wait to make an appointment with several companies that specialize in the treatment of termites. They offered different plans, and the price was basically around $1900. I also learned a lot of relevant knowledge through your video and bought the “products”， hoping can eliminate this huge hidden danger in the ASAP and end of my nightmare. Do you have any better suggestions here? Thanks again for your sharing.

[@kellirush8395]

Thank you!

[@emilywelsh1072]

Thank you so much!

[@dmp9021]

Thank you great info.

[@outofthebox9913]

I started seeing what looked like swarmed in my bathtub and shower in the last two days out of nowhere. Never seen a sign of any before. Still don’t see any sings in or outside anywhere. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

They are following your plumbing lines to your shower. If you have a bath trap I would look in there.

[@outofthebox9913]

I looked it up because I never heard of a bath trap before and we don’t have one. We love our home so much. About to finish paying it off in full in 12 months. Been here about 18 months

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

@@outofthebox9913 termites traditionally move slow. I recommend just doing a treatment and you will be ok.

[@outofthebox9913]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston I really needed that encouragement. Thanks

[@KevinM88TR11]

Do your inspectors provide the termite and and moisture letter or does it have to be provided by a pest control expert

[@fawn1785]

I am currently landscaping around my house. I have commercial grade landscape fabric. Should I cover with wood mulch or rocks?

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

It honestly depends on the grade of your structure. What I find works best is about 1 foot of rock around the perimeter, in length not depth. Then mulch after.

[@ichosecoffeetoday]

Well, it was really informative and helpful! Is there any solution to termites which can avoid them without killing them?

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

I do not think so, sorry! Or I have not heard of it yet

[@ichosecoffeetoday]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston Thanks for answering, though...

[@barbaramarsh7038]

Fascinating

[@Leo-eb1wl]

Fun fact: termites don’t eat steel structures. Avoid using their food to build houses and you should be sweet.

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Money

[@EvenFive]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston Barndominiums are actually cheaper per footage. We just have a weird obsession with these cookie cutter houses.

[@markman63]

Agreed, just use real building materials like steel, brick and concrete like the rest of the world is doing. Wood is for garden shacks

[@waseemij]

Why should we stop using wood. When we can easily kill them..

[@ddawg3974]

@@markman63 wood is cheaper, no?

[@770welldunn]

was that a sar higdon painting ? behind you? gorgeous raccoon

[@MRJUGGERNAUTSILLz]

dug a hole in my garden, found a rotten piece of wood in there and saw some little milky white termites, is that subterranean? cant tell because the food isnt above ground but they were all over this piece of wood underground

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Most likely termites

[@terriwebb4425]

What about blood red ones?

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Some species of drywoods can be red. Are you sure they are termites and not ants?

[@TheCraigConnolly]

I need to spray!

[@tuyetvo4353]

How ?

[@bibohbiiii6540]

Can you please post a time link where you get to the title or point for those of us that don't need a history lesson?

[@MagnificentSails]

Do insurance companies deny, for instance, wind damage claims by using a termite infestation or termite damage loophole?

[@EvenFive]

No, once they see the termite damage they would run away and probably cancel your policy.

[@MagnificentSails]

@@EvenFive okay lol

[@MagnificentSails]

@@EvenFive Is that the same with condos with termites?

[@eagleeye2427]

I have a tapping sound on my masters bedroom wall that only happens during the day…is that termite?

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

@@eagleeye2427 probably not, your HVAC is normally running during the day. Do you think it is your primary drain line to your unit? Termites do not make a tapping noise.

[@eagleeye2427]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston I googled it, but they said they do when they’re banging their head. I swear it said that lol.

[@eagleeye2427]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston No, I don’t think so as my HVAC is at the back of the house and the master’s is at the front.

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

@@eagleeye2427 do you see excessive debris that you have to keep cleaning around your bedroom?

[@eagleeye2427]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston No, but today I went out to the front of the house. Front of the master’s and found some tiny tiny egg like that are gathered together on the wall. The size are like coffee grinds…I sprayed it with 70% alcohol. Love your video by the way and thank you!

[@woofwoofdoggo]

I was so busy thinking of killing termites, I didn't think to appreciate termites.

[@Gigi-fc6lj]

thanks

[@nicoledoerr4269]

I moved my dresser and found termites they ate up one drawer and almost got into the wall idk how they got inside the house but the only place they were was in the dresser maby inside the wall that was behind it how do I find that out?

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

They are probably coming from your exterior wall. It also depends on the type of termites as well.

[@nicoledoerr4269]

I think they are the ones that come from the soil because there is a flower bed on the outside of that particular wall

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

@@nicoledoerr4269 they come in from the mulch often

[@TheRebuilt1]

Do termites start forming around rotted wood on your backdoor. I skipped a year on my termininex and hope this doesn't bite me.

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Termites do not discriminate they are blind. I believe Terminex over charges for what they do.

[@KatieInTheLight]

Helpppp. I have scratching and buzzing noises in my walls. Is that termites? 😬

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Do you see any types of debris on the floor or around the area you are having issues in? Termites typically don't cause loud noises unless the population is extreme large.

[@KatieInTheLight]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston No debris! But it's coming from inside my bedroom walls so there could possibly be debris on the inside?

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

@@KatieInTheLight It might be a rodent. I would call an animal control company.

[@KatieInTheLight]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston There's also buzzing too. So weird. Pest control is coming tomorrow and if it isn't bugs, we'll definitely call animal control. Thank you!!

[@warclassics]

Can I e-mail you a picture of the swarmers in my home? I'm still not sure what type they are. I only recently found out that they're termites and they've been coming back every couple years 😖

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Sure, [e-mail]. What area do you live?

[@warclassics]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston thank you! I'll send them soon. I just realized you're located in Houston. I live on the border in Mexico, right below San Diego, California.

[@kswaminathan5439]

Is there no method to wipe them from the face of the earth considering the damage they cause?

[@bettysmith4527]

No, because like every other living being on the planet they have a job to do!

[@ssshady08]

That's not true about the mandibles being crossed, both termites can have mandibles crossed, the correct way to tell the difference is one has a serrated mandible or points on the mandible and the other one is a smooth mandible.

[@coptotermes]

The brand is Termidor and is pronounced Term -i -door. Term as in Termite.

[@Peter-ob6ue]

Put a microphone on your wood framed house, you can actually hear them eating your wood 😃 hahahahaha LMAO

[@humbertogaleano6338]

Termites in Massachusetts ?

[@bettysmith4527]

Yes, mainly subterranean are native, with occasional dry wood if they hitchhike in.

[@VashonLady]

Is the treatment chemical toxic to dogs and cats?

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

No, the manufacturer of the chemical says it will not harm pet animals.

[@thebudmaster4116]

What it mean when you break these dirt piles and nothing comes out

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

Sometimes it could be ants. You need to be able to identify the shelter tubes. Ants stack and termites compact.

[@RNCENSuarez]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston I heard ants and termites don’t live together bc they are usually at war with eachother… is this true? Is it a good sign you have ants?

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

@@RNCENSuarez that is true but I have seen termites on one side of the property and ants on the other.

[@RNCENSuarez]

@@AActionHomeInspectionHouston boo that really is unfortunate. Our home has massive damage that we discovered 7 years after buying…. At least a quarter of our floor boards were destroyed completely nothing to sister them to… have you heard of any recourse? We are in PA

[@stevebabiak6997]

That could indicate that the termites are no longer active. It’s possible that the premises had a termite treatment and they have died off.

[@Jemstk]

I am in florida I am buying a house what kind do you think they are

[@AActionHomeInspectionHouston]

You will have all 3 different kinds there.

[@myfivestarrealty]

You just promoted did not say anything how to fix it when a house is infested. Is it a goner....?

[@theceasarkevlar9155]

Bait stations are the way to goooooooooooooooo. Find a company that offers Sentricon if you’re watching this video!!!! I’ve been in the industry for 10+ years. Thank me later!

[@ssshady08]

Conehead termites?

[@bettysmith4527]

Those things are so cute!

[@berndm9743]

Good info. Thanks. But IMO you ought to use a much smaller microphone that cover up so much of your face. Very distracting.

[@vetdoc35]

Its as simple as walking: DONT BUILD HOUSES OF WOOD ! Use Concrete, Bricks, Steel then you dont have thos sh...

[@ronaldreaganwasthedevil7443]

Why dont you make brick houses like normal people?

[@KathyBryant-cw8ug]

Brick is only the outer facade, the framework is what is attacked.

[@bettysmith4527]

Brick homes are even worse, because they make it even harder to nice them coming in to eat your wood frame!!

[@2mnxffrddfghjbbvcdfh6644bcddcv]

130 million years? Are 130% percent sure?

[@nativemiami77]

3:53 Need for a constant source of moisture, wood and shade..... sounds like dudes in prison.

[@sarcasmo57]

They sure are jerk critters.

[@theceasarkevlar9155]

Yeah you definitely pronounced it wrong 😂😂😂

[@zmikeking3981]

omg get to the point I don't care about history of termites!!

[@willywonka077]

Earth is only 6000 years old buddy

[@bradenglass4753]

LOL no it isn't buddy

[@brrriii3702]

Earth as a globe is 6000 years old maybe. Flat earth is much older. Godzilla told me 😂

[@Saint696Anger]

Thank you for this video 👍