Other signs of a termite infestation are pencil-thin mud "tubes"
on inside and outside surfaces such as foundation walls, piers,
sills and floor joists. Termites make these mud tunnels to
travel between underground colonies and your home. Another sign
of an infestation is damaged wood hollowed out along the grain
with dried bits of mud or soil lining the feeding galleries.
Termite feeding, and resulting damage, can remain undetected in
exposed wood because the outer surface usually is left intact.
You can reduce the risk of a termite attack by following these
suggestions: â?¢Store wood off of the ground. â?¢Keep moisture
from accumulating near the foundation. â?¢Reduce humidity in
crawl spaces. â?¢Store firewood, lumber or other wood debris
away from the foundation. â?¢Don't store wood in the crawl
space. â?¢Sparingly use decorative wood chips and mulch.
â?¢Consider having your home treated by a professional pest
control firm. Many infestations result from direct contact
between structural wood and the soil,