Termites?

[Jack L]

Hard to tell by the picture, but what I am looking at doesn't look like termites.
Termites look similar to an ant, but they are white. There are all different kinds. Some as tiny as a 16th inch and some much larger.
if you have wood touching the ground, they can build their tunnels right up through the wood to the structural wood
If you have concrete, brick, steel , etc touching the ground check on all sides of it for thin 1/8th inch wide gray or brown ( like yarn) strands stuck to it going from the ground up to the wood work. If yes then you probably have termites.
If that white stuff is wet sawdust, you probably have carpenter ants or some other boring insect.

Jack L

 

[KSkarcz1993]

Hard to tell by the picture, but what I am looking at doesn't look like termites.
Termites look similar to an ant, but they are white. There are all different kinds. Some as tiny as a 16th inch and some much larger.
if you have wood touching the ground, they can build their tunnels right up through the wood to the structural wood
If you have concrete, brick, steel , etc touching the ground check on all sides of it for thin 1/8th inch wide gray or brown ( like yarn) strands stuck to it going from the ground up to the wood work. If yes then you probably have termites.
If that white stuff is wet sawdust, you probably have carpenter ants or some other boring insect.

Jack L

Just saw the “reply” button. Thank you!

 

[AbdRahim]

I would also consult an exterminator for expert advice and eradication, if you plan to keep the unit.

That sawdust showing up is scary. My unit is new and it seems as I find sawdust near one of the cabinets after each trip. I have no idea where it is coming from.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

And yes same inspection as a house.

 

[KSkarcz1993]

I would also consult an exterminator for expert advice and eradication, if you plan to keep the unit.

That sawdust showing up is scary. My unit is new and it seems as I find sawdust near one of the cabinets after each trip. I have no idea where it is coming from.

Thank you. We really don’t care about keeping the unit if it’s going to require extensive “treatment” but we figured we would until it no longer makes sense to. Everything in it is fastidious-like going back into time since the prior elderly owners were so neat. It’s old and has charm, but this type of stuff is beyond what we’re prepared to deal with. I didn't know exterminators would work on RVs. Just had my house exterminated last year?

 

[AbdRahim]

I would expect a good exterminater would work on anything $$.

 

[KSkarcz1993]

I would expect a good exterminater would work on anything $$.

True. That’s why I appreciate all this insight so at least I’ll be armed with some knowledge before they quote!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I would like to tell you that I was still licensed but 78 was a long time ago.
If subterranean moving the rig will cure the infestation. Otherwise they used to tent and fumigate.

 

[KSkarcz1993]

Ha! Some of us were around in’78
I actually think we are going to have a problem. Not to bore anyone, but we basically purchased a membership site and this old 5th wheel came with it for a couple $Ks. So it’s not easily moveable at this point and we likely can’t exterminate on site. We would probably just get rid of it due to the cost of moving it plus exterminator. They took impeccable care but I guess there’s no protection against these critters. The rig is so old I think if this were a problem previously I would see other evidence of it, don’t you agree, Kevin? I did look elsewhere, and it’s only under this one window. Truthfully I would just get rid of this vehicle, but I like the charm of it and it was basically free and enabled us to get a choice spot in this RV park. So do you think calling an exterminator is the best bet?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Ha! Some of us were around in’78
I actually think we are going to have a problem. Not to bore anyone, but we basically purchased a membership site and this old 5th wheel came with it for a couple $Ks. So it’s not easily moveable at this point and we likely can’t exterminate on site. We would probably just get rid of it due to the cost of moving it plus exterminator. They took impeccable care but I guess there’s no protection against these critters. The rig is so old I think if this were a problem previously I would see other evidence of it, don’t you agree, Kevin? I did look elsewhere, and it’s only under this one window. Truthfully I would just get rid of this vehicle, but I like the charm of it and it was basically free and enabled us to get a choice spot in this RV park. So do you think calling an exterminator is the best bet?

I think you need to know if you have a problem. After you know then it will be time to figure out what to do.