Termite Inspection
Don't let your home be quietly eaten away by termites!
A termite inspection gives you peace of mind that your home is protected against these damaging pests. Queensland is well known for termite problems, causing extensive damage to homes which is typically not covered under your home insurance policy. An annual termite inspection is the best insurance policy that you can take out by providing early detection.
Termites! Why they so annoying?
It’s important to remember that termites play an important role in our environment as decomposers of plant waste. However, they do become a serious problem when they encounter our world and start eating the timber in our homes!
Termites are naturally elusive creatures as they love dark, damp spaces and will flee if exposed to sunlight. That’s why they can often remain hidden in your home for some time before you see visible evidence of their presence.
Hence, the importance of having a professional pest inspector conduct an annual termite inspection. They know exactly what to look for and will be much more likely to detect termites early than homeowners.
Termite inspection
In the building and pest inspection industry, a termite inspection is also known as a timber pest inspection. As the inspection doesn’t just check for termites but also for timber borers.
A timber pest/termite inspection is a visual inspection of a property looking for any evidence of live termites, termite damage, and timber borers. In addition, the pest inspector will also check the home’s current termite management system and identify any conducive conditions to a future invasion.
What areas of the home are checked?
The inspection includes checking all accessible areas of the house and property within 30 meters of the home. This includes the roof void, subfloor (if applicable), garden, fencing, carport and retaining walls.
During the inspection, the pest inspector will also use a thermal imaging camera, sounding tool and moisture meter. These tools help our inspectors detect anomalies that may not be visible to the human eye. Such as high moisture readings, abnormal heat patterns in walls (indicative of termites) or hollow timber.
All the above are either signs of termite activity, termite damage or conducive conditions to termites. You can read more about thermal imaging for termites here.
What happens if termites are found during the inspection?
If termites are found during the inspection, the pest inspector will provide recommendations for treatment. The options for treatment will vary slightly depending on the severity of the termite infestation. However, they will generally include the following:
- Spot treatment to kill the live termites. The spot treatment is a slow-acting chemical that is sprayed onto the termites which they then take back to the nest, killing off the whole colony.
- Installation of a chemical termite barrier. A slow-acting chemical is installed around the entire perimeter of the house to protect against subterranean termites for up to 8 years. Whilst it’s not 100% termite proof, it is currently the best protection available.
- Installation of termite bait stations. This method is generally used when a house is not suited to a chemical termite barrier. Instead, bait stations are filled with treated timber and installed at intervals around the perimeter of the property.
- Annual termite inspections. It is best practice to continue to get annual termite inspections to ensure that any future termite activity is detected early. This is especially important if you’ve had a previous termite attack, as termites are more likely to invade a home that has previously experienced termite activity over one that hasn’t. The reason for this being that future termites can easily gain access via the old termite tunnels from the previous invasion.
If you think you might have found termites - don't disturb them!
If you think you might have termites, it’s very important not to disturb them! Termites are shy, elusive creatures that will find a new hiding spot when exposed. If you have accidentally exposed them, cover them back up and call a licensed pest inspector as soon as you can. They will be able to treat the termites and provide you with recommendations for prevention.
Don’t try and handle the problem yourself by spraying fly spray or other chemicals onto them. This only aggravates the termites and causes them to hide in another location. Thus, making it harder for a licensed pest inspector to locate and treat them.
Book a termite inspection with Dedant today!
All our inspectors are highly experienced and trained at identifying termite activity and damage. We have been providing termite inspections and solutions across Brisbane, Redland Bay, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast, the Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Logan since 2009.
Contact us on 07 3807 0122 or via our website.
