Visual Termite Inspections
Did you know that approximately one in three homes in NSW will suffer a termite infestation, and worse still, home insurance policies do NOT cover the damage caused by these infestations?
Taylors Pest Services P/L will complete a thorough inspection of the building/s and all grounds to the boundary lines.
Inspection frequency:
In areas of high termite hazard, frequent and standardised inspections of all susceptible buildings and structures is essential. Regular inspections every six to 12 months are recommended where termites are known to be active and destructive in the local area.
Termite inspections need to be carried out by persons with the appropriate experience and training. They need to be able to recognise at once evidence of termite activity such as typical damage to timber and the presence of 'mud' galleries built over timber and foundation surfaces.
Failure to carry out appropriate inspections exposes the householder to an increased risk of property damage from termite attack. Inadequate inspections may also result in certain warranties and insurances (e.g. of termite control systems or building components) being rendered void.
However, such deficiencies will not affect the statutory warranty for a new house, which cannot be removed by contractual agreement.
The objective of an inspection is, first, to determine whether the building is infested and, if so, to discover the extent and nature of the infestation so that suitable points for insecticide treatment can be identified and the need for any necessary timber replacements can be determined.
Such an inspection should be carried out with a minimum of disturbance to the termites and their galleries, to enable the full effect to be gained from subsequent poisoning methods.
Procedures for the inspection and detection of termite activity are given in Australian Standards AS 3660.2 and AS 4349.3.
Where to look:
The most important part of the building, from the point of view of termite attack, is the part in contact with the ground or "footprint" (e.g. the sub-floor area of suspended timber floors, basements).
Any inspection should be directed at examining it if it is at all accessible. It is here that the shelter tubes, which the termites construct over footings and piers, are usually observed. These shelter tubes occupy a vital place in the termites' communication system and in the supply of food to the colony and can be more easily treated than the main galleries in timber. Areas of low clearance, bad ventilation and badly drained or damp portions should be very carefully examined, as termites favour such areas.
A further check of any building for termite attack can be made by inspection of the above-floor timbers: skirting boards, door and window frames, plates, studs, rafters and battens, rarely disturbed areas such as the back of built in cupboards etc. This will be essential if the underfloor regions are inaccessible or if the building is built on a concrete slab. When this is the case, the inspected areas should include the edges of the slab and the bases and ends of walls and architraves within the building.
Termite activity is encouraged by moisture and decayed timber is more attractive to them. Therefore, particular attention should be paid to parts of the house where water pipes run (e.g. kitchens, bathrooms, toilets, laundries) and where there are service penetrations through the slab (i.e. areas around them). It is important in any inspection, especially in areas with considerable tree-cover, to examine the area in the immediate vicinity of a building or group of buildings for the presence of termites in adjacent timber fences and outbuildings.
Termites often nest in living or dead trees and the treatment or removal of such hazards may well remove the need for more arduous work necessary to control an infestation in a building. Regular inspection and early detection of the presence of termites, followed by remedial measures, is the only means of combating the pest under some conditions of high termite hazard and inadequately protected wooden structures.
How to recognise termite damage:
Damage by termites is very difficult to detect in a building, owing to their habits of seeking dark and badly ventilated situations. Unless their galleries leading from the ground are discovered accidentally or by inspection, damage is not usually discovered until a piece of timber that has been hollowed out breaks under pressure, such as due to the weight of a door or a piece of furniture.
The presence of a large number of winged reproductives emerging or swarming from the soil or wood may be the first indication of the existence of a termite colony. The discarded wings are often found beneath door or window frames from which the termites have emerged. Unlike wood boring beetles ('borers'), termites do not reduce wood to powder and there are no visible flight holes on the surface of the timber. Once discovered, the damage is very characteristic and quite easy to recognise.
Termites work inside timber, along the grain, eating out large galleries or runways. Some species completely hollow out a piece of timber leaving only loose masses of refuse, while others work in long narrow runways right along a piece of timber. In one board there may be several of these runways, which are gradually widened and extended until only a thin shell of the board remains with a series of flutings inside. The inside of the galleries is frequently covered with greyish specks of excrement and earth. It is possible to follow these galleries right back through the structure of a building e.g. along floor boards, into the joists and bearers and thus down a communication gallery, in the form of a mud covered runway built over a footing. This leads down to the ground and then back to the nest via a passage beneath the surface.
Termite activity is indicated by the presence of 'mud' shelter tubes and any sign of 'mud' plastering in corners, cracks or crevices within the timber or over brickwork. If a shelter tube is located, an attempt should be made to trace it to the point of contact with the ground.
Probing, drilling or tapping of the timbers should reveal the presence of weaknesses, in the shape of galleries or hollowed-out timber. Hollow sounding timber is another indicator of activity. Moisture transferred from accumulations of termite mud behind porous walling materials such as plasterboard can cause paint to lift or produce 'waviness' or other surface abnormalities . Internal walls made of porous materials should thus be closely examined. A torch light directed along the surface of a wall can be used to detect subtle distortions in wall profile.
To determine whether termites are still using shelter tubes, a small hole should be made in the tube with a sharp knife. If the tube is active soldier termites will come to the opening which will be resealed within a few hours. Timber may also be probed firmly to detect cavities left beneath the surface by termite activity.
Care should be taken when inspecting to minimise disturbance to termites present in the workings. If termite activity is found, the services of a qualified pest control operator should be obtained.