Termites around the Home
What do you know about termites in Australia?
Chances are - very little. In fact, you may not even know you have termites in your home, until it is too late. Our most important termite species live in underground nests containing up to two million wood eating termites. That's a lot of hungry mouths that travel 100 metres, or more, in search of food. And your home provides them with a smorgasbord to feast upon. The trouble is, as the termites travel underground, and enter your home concealed by mud tunnels, you may have no idea they're ready to devour your building.
Termites get right inside the timber to feed. So they may be feasting away, hidden in your walls, or hollowing out the support timbers in your roof, without you knowing. They could also be dining on the timbers in your subfloor.
And please don't think that just because your home is built on a concrete slab you're safe from marauding termites. Termites build shelter tubes over the edge of slabs, or enter through shrinkage cracks and around pipes. When they're hungry, and that's all the time, nothing will stop a termite grabbing a quick lunch.
Termites get right inside the timber to feed. So they may be feasting away, hidden in your walls, or hollowing out the support timbers in your roof, without you knowing. They could also be dining on the timbers in your subfloor.
And please don't think that just because your home is built on a concrete slab you're safe from marauding termites. Termites build shelter tubes over the edge of slabs, or enter through shrinkage cracks and around pipes. When they're hungry, and that's all the time, nothing will stop a termite grabbing a quick lunch.
Protecting your Home
Any structure can be attacked by termites. Periodic maintenance should include measures to minimise the possibilities of infestation in and around your home. Factors which may lead to infestation include:
1. Edge of concrete slab concealed
Ensure the edge of your slab is fully exposed
2. Weep holes blocked
Ensure weep holes are fully exposed.
3. Less than 400mm clearance under dwelling
Try and improve ventilation to these areas.
4. Building materials in contact with the ground
Remove all such contact areas by lowering or digging away the soil. Use metal stirrups to mount timber pergolas posts, etc.
5. Damp areas
Remove moisture sources, repair leaking downpipes, taps, etc and grade soil to ensure run-off.
6. Form-work & scrap timber
Remove all scrap timbers and do not store any timber adjacent to the house.
7. Tree Stumps
Remove or have test drilled and checked by a timber pest manager
8. Mulch
Try and avoid using mulch on garden beds adjacent to the house.
9. Tree branches touching the structure
Remove all such occurrences.
10. Wood rot
Replace any decayed timbers.
11. A full Inspection and Report should be carried out every six months
Regular inspections DO NOT stop attack, but may limit the amount of damage by detecting problems early.
12. Engage a professional pest controller who is insured to provide a management program
There is no way of preventing attack. The provision of a complete termite barrier will impede and discourage concealed entry into a building. It cannot prevent attack. Termites can still bridge or breach barriers but they can be detected more readily during routine inspections.
Have you found termites?
Finding termites in your house or property can be a scary thing.
Firstly, don't disturb them, break open their nests and leads or start ripping walls off. This will cause the termites to temporarily vacate their workings in your property thereby making the treatment of the termites more difficult.
If you haven't had a termite inspection or treatment done in the past you need to arrange for a professional pest manager to come and inspect your property. They will provide you with details on how the termite infestation can be managed.
If you have had a professional pest manager undertake a termite inspection or treatment to your property it best that you contact them and have them return to your property. As they have been to your property in the past and may have implemented a termite treatment, they will have more of an understanding of what may have caused the termite infestation and what actions need to be taken. It may be a case that a conducive condition at the property, such as the slab edge not being exposed, or a limitation to their treatment such as the inability to put a complete chemical barrier around the house due to paths, has allowed the termites to enter the property.
Until the termites are eliminated from your property you shouldn't undertake any building, renovating or landscaping work, that will disturb them. It is best to let the termites get affected by the treatment that has been undertaken. Your professional pest manager will let you know when the termites have been eliminated.
Termites can cause considerable damage if left untreated. It is therefore essential that you always have an annual termite inspection on your property, and if recommended, by your professional pest manager, have a termite treatment undertaken to protect your home. If termites are located in your home you need to organise for a treatment to be carried out immediately.
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