Each year repairs for damage resulting from termite infestations cost Australia nearly $1 billion , according to the architecture advisory body Archicentre. However, even though Australia is home to roughly 350 different species of termite, only a few species consume wood and are the cause of major damage to structures and buildings. Termite Fumigation treatments is a method often used to eliminate termite infestations.
Termite species in Sydney
There are two wood-eating termites which often trouble Sydney home owners; these are the subterranean species and the dry-wood species. Dry-wood termites which live above ground and need little moisture to survive colonize buildings and trees upon which they feed. On the other hand for subterranean termites, the dirt is their primary source of moisture and they live underground in nests from which they create tunnel networks to the wooden structures which they feed on.
The most efficient way of actually avoiding a termite attack or infestation would be to make use of only treated timber or timber which is naturally resistant to termites within the construction of your new building. Of course, not many of us live in houses which have recently been constructed, but there are still a variety of things you can do which may protect your home from termite infestations:
-Have regular termite inspections conducted at your property to enable you to pick up on any infestation before it can take hold. (Every 6 months is recommended for high risk areas.)
-Make sure to keep mulch and timber (firewood included) away from your building. If you do happen to store firewood outside, make sure that it is raised off the ground to avoid contact with the dirt.
-Keep shrubs, bushes, trees and other vegetation trimmed and away from the building.
-Take care to seal up spaces and cracks within the brickwork to keep termites from getting inside the structure.
-Try to eliminate all sources of moisture such as leaking pipes or dripping gutters and taps.
-Make sure that subfloor spaces are well ventilated which will reduce the humidity.
-Keep an eye out for signs of a termite infestation, these signs are damaged wood, termite trails (these are little mud tracks which connect the source of wood to the termite nest), and changes to the surface of skirting boards, window sills as well as other wooden parts or structures within your house.
Sadly, often termites attack without leaving behind any visible clues alluding to an infestation, which is why it’s immensely important to have regular termite inspections conducted by an expert in the field, this would allow for an infestation to be identified early and taken care of by termite fumigation or another appropriate method before the termites can cause too much or irreparable damage.
Modern termite inspection methods
There are many traditional methods which pest control agencies have relied upon to check for termite infestation which relied on visual inspection, tapping timber structures and checking for signs of lightness or hollowness of wood. However, today we have much more sophisticated tools at our disposal, which eliminates a lot of the guesswork from the inspection process. Equipment such as Thermal Imaging Cameras use technology which incorporates a laser beam to pick up temperature differentials and thus identify areas where termites might be gaining access to a building. The moisture levels of timber can also be determined using moisture meters; as places with higher water content often attract termites. All this information is communicated through a handheld PDA which processes the data, producing charts and reports which are then used by the pest control expert to determine which termite fumigation would be most effective in exterminating the infestation.
When termites are involved, we do recommend getting into contact with a reliable licensed pest control professional to inspect and treat an infestation. The ramifications of an untreated infestation can cost thousands upon thousands of dollars in repairs; the risk is just too high to leave things up to chance. If you are looking at a quote for inspection or wanting to schedule a treatment, contact Bruce Gow at0417 251 911 or via email at bruce@a1pestcontrol.com.au.