STEP 1: BE PREPARED

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

• Coveralls or rugged clothing that can get dirty
• Screwdriver
• Good flashlight with fresh batteries
• Measuring Tape
• Ladder
• Pencil and graph paper pad

STEP 2: CHECK FOR POINTS OF ENTRY

• Areas where soil comes into direct contact with wood, particularly untreated wood
• Areas where surface water, or perpetually wet soil, contacts or is very near to the structure
• Areas where foundation material has degenerated and become permeable, cracks in slab, and expansion joints in slab
• Check the external foundation wall for mud tunnels
• All wood members in basement (if present), or in crawl space under home (if present)
• Earth-filled porches: the soil should be at least six inches below any wooden parts
• Trellises which touch the soil and are connected to the house
• Flower planters built against the house
• Wooden forms around drains. Paper collars around pipes. Paper is made of wood, which termites eat.
• Porch steps in contact with the soil offer a stairway to the home.
• Area around heating unit keeps soil warm year round and accelerates termite development.

STEP 3: LOCATE TERMITE CRITICAL AREAS

AREAS THAT OFFER FOOD SOURCES

• Mulch beds
• Wood piles
• Tree stumps
• Landscape timbers
• Wood fences
• Wood decks or porches
• Wooden posts sunk into the ground
• Trees & Shrubbery

AREAS THAT PROVIDE MOISTURE

• Downspouts
• Water spigots
• Leaky water lines
• Air-conditioner drip lines
• Along sewer lines
• Any standing water
• Missing, broken, or clogged gutters

STEP 4: SEARCH THOROUGHLY FOR TERMITE ACTIVITY

OUTDOORS

• Examine the foundation of the house, garage and other structures for shelter tubes coming from the soil.
• Pay particular attention to attached porches, connecting patios, sidewalks, areas near kitchens or bathrooms and narrowly confined or hard to see places.
• Check the soil moisture around or under the foundation to determine if faulty grade construction creates moist areas adjacent to the structure.
• Check window and doorframes and where utilities (air conditioning pipes, gas and electric services) enter the structure for termite infestation or wood decay.
• Observe wood eaves and guttering closely for defects that might cause leakage and eventual wood rot.
• Inspect behind closely planted dense shrubbery or foliage.
• Note particularly any earth to wood contact such as fences, stair carriages or trellises.
• Open and examine any exterior electrical meter or fuse boxes set into the walls, a common point for infestation.
• Carefully inspect wood materials adjacent to swimming pools that may be splashed frequently by water.
• If the house is of pier and beam construction, thoroughly inspect the area between the floor and the underlying soil (crawl space). Examine the inside of beams, chimney bases, hearths or piers for shelter tubes.
• Look carefully at the top of the foundation wall where the floor and wall intersect.
• If you find any mud tubes, break a piece off. If it is moist, it is an active tunnel. If, however, it is dried out, it is no longer active. If you come back a couple of days later and the tunnel is rebuilt, that is another sign the tunnel is active.

INDOORS

• Probe or carefully sound exterior porches, doors and window facings, baseboards, and hardwood flooring.
• Be careful not to deface finished wood when probing.
• Carefully examine any attached earth-filled porches.
• Examine all known or suspected joints, cracks, or expansion joints in the foundation and unusual blistering in paint or wallboard surfaces. Discoloration or staining on walls or ceilings may indicate water leaks, which can decay wood and aid termite infestation.
• The inspection should be particularly critical where plumbing or utility pipes enter the foundation or flooring. Check floor coverings for raised or split areas.
• Examine the attic for shelter tubes, water leakage, wood rot or damaged wood.
• Search all areas for signs of discarded wings from swarming alates (flying termites).

STEP 5: DOCUMENT WHAT YOU FIND

Use a graph pad to draw out the layout of your home and yard and designate all things you find in step 2 through 4. This will be your action plan for taking corrective measures to reduce your risk of infestation.