TERMITE CONTROL
SIGNS OF TERMITES?
- Hollowed wood, with outer shell of wood intact
- Earthen shelter tubes and mud packing on brickwork in subfloor areas or around home
- Flight tubes from the release of alates (winged form of termites)
- Flight cuts in trees
- Swarms of alates flying from the colony (usually in Nov/ Dec)
- Presence of termite castes in trees or workings
- Noises
- Presence of mounds or nests in trees.
VISUAL INSPECTION
A visual timber pest inspection can be found in the Australian Standard 3660. The inspection reports on termite activity in your dwelling and up to 50 meters from the dwelling.
In most cases, your home is the most expensive item you might own. Termites can result in significant damage and financial loss. The Australian Standard recommends that a visual timber pest inspection should be conducted every 12 months
During each inspection, we inspect the following areas:
- Grounds
- Landscaping
- Fences
- Exterior
- Interior
- Roof void
During this inspection, we carry out a visual check of all exposed timbers including skirtings, architraves to doors and windows and ceiling timbers as well as fences, gardens and landscaping.
There is a special focus on areas close the structure/s such as weep holes, the closeness of gardens, plants, shrubs and trees, areas of excessive moisture, poor building practices (from a termite management point of view), bathrooms, toilets and kitchen areas and ceiling spaces.
TERMITE DOG INSPECTION
Detecting timber pests using traditional techniques such as a visual inspection can sometimes be problematic because timber may be infested but not show any visible signs such as emergence holes or frass. Prevailing weather conditions and/or the quality and accuracy of information can hinder visual inspections. Hence Sydney’s Best Pest Control can offer you a solution – a termite inspection dog.
A detection dog is trained to use its sense of smell to detect a specific odour. It is then taught to indicate that it has detected the odour.
Why Use a Termite Dog?
- When a subfloor inspection is not possible due to a no access hole or there are clearance problems between ground and timbers
- If termites have just entered the property and there is no visible evidence to internal timbers
- Termite detection dogs are the only detection tool that can detect termites in floorboards if a carpet is present.
- Dogs can smell things that we cannot see. Like the drug dogs at the airport, termite sniffer dogs are trained on live termites
INSPECTION PREPARATION
Sydney’s Best Pest Control recommends that if possible, the following steps be followed to ensure an easier, quicker and more thorough inspection.
- Remove any storage from the areas under sinks in bathrooms and the kitchen.
- Remove anything that is within a metre or so of the exterior of your house.
- Move anything that is within a metre or so of the exterior of your garage
- Trim all bushes and plants around the outside of your home as these could also conceal damage that is important for your inspector to see.
INSPECTION REPORTS
In summary, Australian Standards recommends at a minimum 1 per year. Your termite specialist may recommend more than the minimum, depending if you live in a high-risk area
On completion of the inspection, you will be emailed a completed inspection report. Our thorough inspections result in reports which are understandable for everybody with recommendations and findings. Our reports include:
- Termite activity
- Termite workings and damage
- Termite nests
- Susceptible areas
- Conducive conditions
- Moisture areas, drainage problems and water leaks
- Fungal decay
- Suspected trees and stumps
- Treatments required
- Recommendations – how to resolve any found issues
- Termite inspection cost
Termite inspections with a termite dog do cost more because of the cost of ongoing training associated with keeping the dog as accurate as possible.
Termites do more damage to Australian homes than fires, storms and earthquakes put together. Termite invasions are frustrating, costly, damaging, and downright devastating. Eating from the inside out, termite damage can be substantial by the time it is detected.
Annual termite inspections on your property by a qualified timber pest technician are highly recommended and knowing about the early signs of termite infestation is the key to a fast and long-term solution.
FAQ
My home is on a concrete slab so doesn’t this mean I won’t get termites?
This is a common misconception. Termites readily penetrate concrete slab floors through gaps such as expansion joints and cracks and alongside service penetrations such as pipes, drains, electrics, etc. Termites can also gain entry over the outside edge of the slab floor, sometimes by building mud shelter tubes that protect termites from the elements. In recent years, timber-framed, brick veneer homes built on concrete slabs have become extremely popular. This form of construction is one of the highest risk types in terms of termite attack.
If I have a full brick home, does that mean I don’t have to worry about termites?
No. The roof structure in a full brick home is supported by timber framing and termites can gain access by travelling inside the cavity walls. Also, where this type of home has a suspended timber floor, termites can severely damage the flooring and support bearers and joists
Do I need to leave the property?
No, unless of course, you want to. Termite controllers primarily use no or low odour materials in and around homes and businesses. If, however, you would feel more comfortable with leaving or are chemically sensitive, then let the technician know.
How long will the inspection take?
Usually, depending on the size of your house and property, it takes about 1-2 hours. A skilled, experienced technician will check the entire house thoroughly, from foundation to roof.
SIGNS OF TERMITES
- Hollowed wood, with outer shell of wood intact
- Earthen shelter tubes and mud packing on brickwork in subfloor areas or around home
- Flight tubes from the release of alates (winged form of termites)
- Flight cuts in trees
- Swarms of alates flying from the colony (usually in Nov/ Dec)
- Presence of termite castes in trees or workings
- Noises
- Presence of mounds or nests in trees.
TERMITE TREATMENT OPTIONS
Baiting or Dusting Is the First Line of Defence
Termite baiting does not involve spraying chemicals or trenching. Stations are placed in specific areas around your home and once termite activity is discovered baits are placed inside the existing stations. The termite bait used is non-chemical that contains an active ingredient, so effective that only a small amount is needed. Termites ingest the bait and carry it to back the colony where they share it with other termites.
The Other Initial Option Is:
Termite dusting is the first phase of a termite treatment as it entails using active termites. Sydney’s Best Pest Control use Termidor Dust which is non-repellent and is 95.5% food alpha cellulose, the same material used as the food source in most of the termite bait systems.
To Apply Termidor Dust: Small holes are made in infested timber or directly onto termite trails. Using a small puffer, fine dust is puffed directly onto termites within the infested timber, these holes are covered to seal the workings, to prevent any dust escaping and to reduce disturbance of the termites.
The termites will continue to go about their normal activities long enough to transfer the Termidor Dust to unsuspecting termites within the colony. It will usually take 3-6 weeks for the colony to be affected by the dust.
Termite dusting however does not provide an on-going protection to a building from future termite attacks. There may be more than one termite nest within striking distance and termites are constantly establishing new nests.
This is why a termite soil treatment is critical following termite dusting.
Second Phase of a Termite Treatment
Termite Soil Treatment: Termite soil treatments are the preferred option for eradicating termite infestations. However, soil treatment does depend on the construction style of your home and can be discussed with the technician on the day of the termite inspection.
Termite soil barrier treatments are applied to soil areas in which the structure is in contact with including:
- Subfloor
- Concrete slab perimeters
- External wall perimeters.
- Implementation of soil treatment
If the distance between the soil and flooring timbers is greater than 400-mm the soiled areas within the subfloor are trenched and treated. In any case we normally prefer to treat the whole of the subfloor. This increases surface area coverage in the subfloor and therefore increases the likelihood of termites coming into contact with Termidor
Concrete perimeters are drilled at approximately 20 to 30-cm centres (1.2-cm holes), injected and re-concreted, as if nothing happened.
These areas could include:
- Patios
- Paths
- Garages
- Fireplaces
- Bathrooms
- Laundries
External Perimeter Walls:
- Soiled areas will be trenched or rodded
- Concrete areas will be drilled
There Are Two Main Types of Soil Treatments:
Repellent: Repellent termiticides work by creating a termite toxic barrier around a house. The treated areas become a no-go zone for termites. In order to work correctly, these termiticides need to be applied in an unbroken zone around the foundations. This can be difficult to achieve due to the construction and design of your home and if there is concrete against the house. Repellent termiticides are mostly used during the pre-construction stage.
Non-repellent: With non-repellent termiticide, termites are unable to detect that an area has been treated and hence do not avoid the treated area. When the termites pass through the termiticide, they make contact with the active ingredient, return to the colony and infest the unsuspecting termites, which will result in their extermination.
Sydney’s Best Pest Control offers a 5-year warranty on non-repellent treatment. Conditions do apply and are subject to house structure and design.
Termite Baiting & Monitoring Systems.
Termite baiting does not involve spraying chemicals or trenching. Stations are placed in specific areas around your home and once termite activity is discovered baits are placed inside the existing stations. The termite bait used is non-chemical that contains an active ingredient, so effective that only a small amount is needed. Termites ingest the bait and carry it to back the colony where they share it with other termites.
The monitoring and baiting is a complete system that involves:
- Placing monitoring stations into the ground around the entire external perimeter of the property
- Placing special stations inside the structure if there are active termites.
Termite baiting systems work very well, and once a colony is eliminated or controlled, the termite monitoring stations will continue to protect your home against new termite activity. The estimated time of colony elimination is 3 – 6 months.
Sydney’s Best Pest Control Suggest You DO NOT
- Disturb any termite workings, leads, galleries before commencement of the treatment program.
- Spray termite infested area with insecticides.
- Have trees, plants, mulch, gardens or bark type materials too close to the property.
- Cover weep holes in brickwork
- Build soil up over slab edges
- Place any plastic or newspaper on gardens any closer than 300-mm to a building.
- Allow moisture or dampness to build up in the sub floor.
- Let poor subfloor drainage attract termites
- Disturb any chemical barrier
Sydney’s Best Pest Control Suggest YOU DO
If you notice the slightest termite activity, do not hesitate to get a professional inspection carried out who will supply you with a written report and provide recommendations to reduce or remove high risk areas.
- Check timber frames inside the home
- Invest in annual termite inspections by a professional termite contractor.
- Look for blistered paint
- Check for rippled or bulging wall linings
- Check for mud packing emerging from timber joints or gyprock walls.
- Check for termite mud galleries against foundation walls, piers and edges of concrete slabs.
- Check formwork timbers left beneath suspended concrete patios
- Check stored timber or cardboard in contact with the ground in subfloor
- Ensure any timber stored alongside the house is kept as far away from the house as possible
In most cases your home is the most expensive item you might own; don’t let it be eaten away by termites!
Contact Us For Free Advice & Quotes
Sydney’s Best Pest Control technicians are professional and trained in the best techniques when it comes to bed bug removal and prevention. Most importantly, we take a personal interest in our clients.
All Sydney’s Best Pest Control personnel stand behind our mission statement; it guides their job performance just as it guides company policy. They personally ensure our clients of their best service, just as our company provides them with the best technology.
Our company is a family-owned and operated business that has been serving the Sydney suburbs for many years and will continue to be here when you need us.