| Termites have a very useful role within our | | | | recommended a termite inspection report is carried out |
| environment, but when they invade and attack your | | | | at least once every twelve months and every three to |
| home, they can become a hated enemy, a source of | | | | six months for high risk areas.Note: There is no |
| heartache and anxiety. Every problem has a solution, | | | | household insurance that covers you for termite |
| and there is no need for any job turning into a | | | | damage.Termite Report |
| nightmare. There are however, certain practices in the | | | | Essentially a termite building inspection report is |
| pest control industry that should be adopted for all | | | | designed to: |
| inspections and treatments, and some "dodgy" | | | | 1. Detect old damage and active termites. |
| operators that should be avoided like the plague!In | | | | 2. Gives you the element of risk of infestation. |
| Australia, one house in three at some stage will | | | | 3. Gives you tips on reducing the chances of termite |
| become affected by termites, which is more prevalent | | | | infestation. |
| than damage caused by fire, storm and flood | | | | 4. Gives us enough information to accurately quote |
| combined. This article will examine how to prevent | | | | you on a termite treatment and to use the most |
| termite attack, methods of inspection, protection, | | | | appropriate method. |
| control and treatment.Termite Control | | | | 5. Identifies species of termites and (most importantly) |
| Control of pest termites involves identifying the | | | | 6. Educates you about termites.Economically |
| species, locating the nest and choosing the best | | | | Important Pest Termites |
| eradication methods. A combination of doing regular, | | | | Out of the 258 described termite species in Australia, |
| competent building inspections in termite-prone areas, | | | | only a few timber-damaging species are of concern to |
| using naturally resistant or treated timbers in buildings, | | | | us. The five families that include the most common |
| and installing chemical and physical soil barriers around | | | | pest species in Australia are:1. Mastotermitidae (1 pest |
| buildings is necessary to prevent further | | | | species - Giant Termite, Mastrotermes darwinensis) |
| problems.Houses nearby may often have termite | | | | 2. Kalotermitidae (several pest species of 'dry-wood |
| nests nearby in trees, stumps and underground but | | | | termites', including the introduced Cryptotermes brevis) |
| these may not contain pest species. When they do, it | | | | 3. Termopsidae (1 pest species - Dampwood termite, |
| should be the main focus of the termite control | | | | Porotermes adamsoni) |
| technician to locate and treat these areas before any | | | | 4. Rhinotermitidae (7 pest species, including |
| protection is implemented. Too often the technician will | | | | Coptotermes acinaciformes) |
| "advise" the worried homeowner that termites may be | | | | 5. Termitidae (5 pest species, including Nasutitermes |
| "anywhere within 100 metres" of the property and its | | | | walkeri)The Giant Termite (Mastotermes darwinensis) |
| impossible to pinpoint exactly where they may be | | | | has the greatest potential for destruction. However, it is |
| coming from.In my opinion, if you don't even try to find | | | | limited to the tropical areas of northern Australia. It |
| out the origin of the problem, your chances of gaining | | | | attacks any wood in contact with the ground including |
| control of the problem dramatically drop. Even if the | | | | shrubs and trees, as well as paper, leather, clothing and |
| house is surrounded by dense bushland, I think it is | | | | other materials. It is a large-bodied primitive species |
| definitely worth the time and expense of test drilling | | | | that usually forms small colonies and has no true |
| and treating ALL trees and stumps surrounding the | | | | worker caste.West Indian Dry-wood Termite |
| property within a 50-100 metre radius, because that is | | | | The introduced West Indian Dry-wood Termite |
| where most infestations originate. If it means drilling | | | | (Cryptotermes brevis) is considered to be the world's |
| 40-60 trees or investigating all surrounding homes, isn't | | | | worst termite pest as it can eat even very small |
| that a lot better than ignoring a possible source of | | | | timber objects with few external signs of damage, can |
| infestation?Most pest control companies will not go to | | | | quickly take over from native termite species, can |
| this extra effort, and will try to convince the client that | | | | survive in quite dry conditions, and is easily transported. |
| their baiting technique or soil barrier system is designed | | | | If it is found, it should be reported to the relevant |
| to protect your home in all circumstances. DON'T | | | | government authority. It has been found in Brisbane |
| BELIEVE THEM! Better investigations and inspections | | | | and Sydney, as well as other areas on several |
| lead to better termite protection and treatments. Its | | | | occasions.Most Destructive Species |
| only common sense to take all effort to find out the | | | | However the most destructive species overall in |
| origin of the attack.Termite Inspection of Pest Species | | | | Australia is Coptotermes acinaciformes. It is distributed |
| Termite identification in Sydney Australia is highly | | | | throughout the continent and uses tree stumps, living |
| specialized and pest controllers need to thoroughly | | | | trees, spaces under buildings and even walls as nesting |
| inspect all areas of the property before any protection | | | | sites. From the nest site, any wooden structure within |
| or treatment is begun. This may be conducted with the | | | | a 100-metre radius can be attacked via underground |
| following equipment:Flashlight with bright light | | | | tunnels. Although they usually need contact with soil, |
| This is essential and krypton bulbs give the best light | | | | some nests of this termite species have even been |
| for torches generally available today. LED torches, | | | | found several floors up in city buildings or on ferries.A |
| headlamps and flashlights are the next generation | | | | common species that nests in Sydney's coastal |
| inspection tools and should be used when they come | | | | bushland is Nasutitermes walkeri. It forms distinctive |
| onto the market.A termite sounding donger | | | | round ball-shaped nests that are especially abundant in |
| A fiberglass rod with a small plastic ball at the end. It is | | | | the years following major bushfires (as it mainly nests |
| designed to run along skirting boards, higher placed | | | | in stressed trees). It can also damage fences, poles |
| timbers and other exposed timbers. When it runs | | | | and wood on the ground, but it rarely attacks buildings. |
| across termite infested timber the tone changes, | | | | This species has the largest soldiers (up to 6 mm long) |
| indicating hollowed out timber.A Moisture Meter | | | | of the Nasutitermes genus, with the characteristic |
| It is designed to pick up high moisture content in walls | | | | nasute head.High Risk Suburbs |
| and timbers. Termites bring up moisture from the soil | | | | Termite control in Sydney, Australia is particularly |
| and into the walls and timbers.A Termatrac | | | | important in these high risk suburbs:Castle Hill |
| microwave tracking device | | | | Winston Hills |
| Termatrac is a breakthrough development in the | | | | Dural |
| building inspection detection of termites, invented and | | | | Baulkham Hills |
| developed in Australia using technology similar to radar, | | | | Wahroonga |
| Termatrac is the exciting answer to detecting termites | | | | Frenchs Forest |
| through timber, plaster board, brick or masonry with no | | | | Manly |
| interference to the building material or termite activity. | | | | Epping |
| With no drilling, tapping or prodding, Termatrac is the | | | | Carlingford |
| answer to termite detection without termite defection! | | | | LeichhardtWe service all these areas as well as |
| With Termatrac, the pest professional enjoys the | | | | Australian capital cities Brisbane, Gold Coast, |
| advantage of accurate detection and customer peace | | | | Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and |
| of mind.Box cutter & Tape | | | | Darwin.Remember, if you follow all of the advice in this |
| If termite infested timber is located, we may cut it with | | | | article, selecting a qualified Termite Expert who is |
| a "Stanley" knife and expose the interior of timber, | | | | aware of, and implements appropriate termite |
| identifying the species of termites then seal it back up | | | | inspections, protection and treatments will help prevent |
| with tape so as not to disturb the termites.Listening | | | | a problem job from turning into a nightmare.You can |
| Device | | | | arrange for a comprehensive inspection by a qualified |
| This listens to termite sounds in the internal of the | | | | Termite Expert simply by emailing our office at au or |
| walls. However, if you tap the wall with your hand and | | | | Phone: 1300 131 449 for more termite (white-ant) |
| put your ear up to the wall you can hear the soldier | | | | information, to book a termite inspection with one of |
| termites communicate by tapping their mandibles onto | | | | our members, or to arrange a quote for treatment of |
| the timbers.Home Inspection | | | | termites.** Webmasters - Please feel free to use this |
| A home inspection for termites is known in Sydney | | | | article for your own use - as long as you provide a link |
| Australia as a building inspection and includes a pest | | | | back to us at and do not change any information |
| report and a building report. It involves a thorough visual | | | | unless you advise us at au - this article is otherwise |
| inspection of the sub floor, roof void interior, exterior, | | | | subject to normal copyright legislation.Article written by |
| and other areas of the property. An average house | | | | Bruce Gow . Bruce holds Certificate 1V in Urban Pest |
| takes anywhere from one to two hours to complete. | | | | Management and holds Termite Specialist |
| Cost varies from $160-$360 depending on the size of | | | | Accreditation amongst many other pest control |
| the house and access. This is including G.S.T. TaxThe | | | | certifications. He owned and managed Best Pest |
| report consists of multiple pages setting out the areas | | | | Control (NSW) Pty Ltd , a successful termite and pest |
| of concern and what to do to rectify problems. Digital | | | | control firm for 24 years, and now acts as an internet |
| photos are available upon request. Please remember a | | | | consultant for the new owner.Bruce also works as a |
| termite inspection report is designed to detect termites | | | | search engine marketer and created for Australian |
| at an early stage as to reduce the amount of damage | | | | Search Engine Optimization. |
| to your house. It does not stop termites. It is strongly | | | | |