Can termites eat concrete?

Answer: Termites cannot eat through concrete. The issue is that no matter how well poured, concrete will crack as it settles. When poured around plumbing, it will retract or shrink from around the pipes.
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Can concrete get termites?

Termites cannot damage a foundation made of concrete, concrete block or brick. However, termites can enter a home through small cracks in the foundation – gaps as tiny as the width of a business card.
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What can eat through concrete?

Phosphoric acid and trisodium phosphate are the main compounds used to dissolve concrete leftover from masonry work.
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Do termites eat cement blocks?

The short answer is no. Termites cannot digest concrete. Although wood is their preferred source of nutrition and what they are well-known for eating, termites have also been known to eat drywall, foam, plastics and even thin lead and copper cheeting materials especially when it's in the way of them getting to wood.
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How do you treat a concrete slab for termites?

Subterranean termites live below ground and may enter the structure passing underneath the concrete slab and then enter your house to consume cellulose. To get rid of termites, use a termite treatment method, such as applying a liquid pesticide (termiticide) under the bottom slab to block this possible entry point.
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Can subterranean termites eat concrete?



Can termites live under a concrete slab?

A "slab" is a type of concrete foundation that does not have a basement or crawlspace. To control a termite infestation underneath the slab, a pest control professional typically will recommend a termiticide treatment that can be applied through rods reaching under the house or holes drilled in the slab.
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Is drilling necessary for termite treatment?

Answer: The answer to this question is also in our How To Do A Termite Treatment Article. For your garage, porch, patios, or other contiguous slabs against the home, you will need to get the termiticide underneath the concrete against the foundation. To do this you will need a hammer drill with a 1/2" x 18" drill bit.
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What is eating my concrete?

Summer is when termites breed and chew up homes across the country, but, a highly-invasive species of termite spreading across Florida, called the “Super Bug,” can chew through concrete, plumbing and wood inside a home.
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What kind of bugs eat concrete?

So-called "concrete mites" are making their annual appearance in southwest Ohio. These tiny, fast-moving bright red mites scurry around on sunny surfaces such as on picnic tables, patios, sidewalks, concrete retaining walls, and on the outside walls of homes and buildings.
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What bugs make holes in concrete?

Once inside, termites build dirt tunnels. These tunnels get wider over time, so even though the bugs aren't eating your foundation, they can cause a great deal of damage as pressure builds up and widens existing cracks.
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Can termites eat through mortar?

Termites have been known to make their way through the lime mortar between brickwork to get to the wood behind them. Typically termites will not attempt to burrow their way through concrete without first finding a hole large enough for them to fit through.
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What are concrete bugs?

Concrete mites, also called sidewalk mites, are another tiny, bright-red mite commonly seen in Alabama. They are a complex of various species belonging to the genus Balaustium in the Erythraeidae mite family. They are called concrete mites because of the locations where they tend to aggregate.
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What kind of termites eat concrete?

Answer: Termites cannot eat through concrete. The issue is that no matter how well poured, concrete will crack as it settles. When poured around plumbing, it will retract or shrink from around the pipes.
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How do I know if my house has termites in a slab?

Look for mud tubes that termites use to travel in and around the base of your home. termite tubes on slab wall Look for soft/damaged wood around the base of your home. Push/probe siding and trim around your door casings, windows, doors, and any wall penetrations around the home to look for termite damage.
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Does termite affect cement walls?

Termites have special enzymes and protozoa/bacteria in their digestive system that allow them to digest cellulose and not concrete or plaster . However Termites are known for their voracious inclinations and sometimes can damage even non-cellulosic materials in their quest for food.
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What are signs of termite damage?

Keep an eye out for the following signs of termite activity:
  • Discolored or drooping drywall.
  • Peeling paint that resembles water damage.
  • Wood that sounds hollow when tapped.
  • Small, pinpoint holes in drywall.
  • Buckling wooden or laminate floor boards.
  • Tiles loosening from the added moisture termites can introduce to your floor.
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What are some of the outward signs of termite damage?

Outward signs of termite damage include buckling wood, swollen floors and ceilings, areas that appear to be suffering from slight water damage and visible mazes within walls or furniture. Termite infestations also can exude a scent similar to mildew or mold.
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What time of day are termites most active?

Subterranean termites swarm during the day, particularly after rainfall. They're most active in the spring. Invasive Formosan termites swarm at night and are generally at their peak in the late spring and summer. Drywood termites are also active at night, especially around lights.
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Can termites be permanently removed?

#1: Exposure To Sunlight Helps with Wood Termite Treatment

Termites can't stand the heat and, in turn, die easily. This method also helps get rid of the moisture in the furniture, thus getting rid of termites permanently.
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How far can termites travel under concrete?

Subterranean termites will make underground tunnels as they forage to travel long distances (up to 80 metres) from their nest to find food.
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Do you need termite protection with a concrete slab?

Answer: Treating houses during construction, when the foundation and the soil and/or gravel that forms the bed of future concrete slabs are exposed, is the best time to apply chemical protection against subterranean termites.
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How do termites get into a house on a slab?

As the ground settles, shifts and moves with the weather and time, slab layers can crack. And it would only take a tiny crack for the worker termites to enter into the home. In addition, it is easy for there to be a small opening around pipes and other utility openings.
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How quickly can termites cause damage?

It can take anywhere from 3 to 8 years for termite damage to show up depending on the size of the colony.
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How do you treat foundation for termites?

Foundational walls and piers can be treated with a termiticide (Termidor SC) at the soil level:
  1. Dig a trench in the soil adjacent to the structure, 6 inches deep by 6 inches wide.
  2. Soak the soil on both sides of the foundation walls at the rate indicated on the product label.
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