EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TERMITES
At some stage or another, many questions may arise once you suspect termite activity is taking place in or around your home. You may not be able to answer them yourself or even be 100% certain of your own findings. Where termites are concerned, the better option would be to consult a professional pest control company that will see to your specific needs. As termites are the trophy holders of being the most destructive pests that cause the most damage to structural buildings, you may want to get this obstacle cleared up, before too much harm has been caused.
Signs that you may be having a termite invasion
โ You may be seeing paint peeling from the wall, mirroring water damage.
โ Laminated or wooden floor boards may start curving.
โ The drywall may be discolored and folding.
โ Holes start appearing in the dry wall.
โ Tiles start detaching and moisture will cause it to lift.
โ When tapping wood, it may sound hollow and โempty.โ
โ Continuous shrieking floorboards.
What to do once you realize you have an invasion
Do not touch or move any of your discoveries. Also do not spray any pesticides on the termite colonies You might disturb the mites and cause more havoc. Leave the termite mountain in the capable hands of our professional termite inspectors.
Termite inspection โ What can be expected
In higher risk areas, such as Sydney, it is required by Australian Standards to have termite inspections done every six months, especially if you have experienced some activity before. Taking a chance by skipping the protocol, may possibly lead to more harm being done as the termite Queen is capable of laying THOUSANDS of eggs in one single day! The thought of hatchlings alone is enough to make any sane personโs skin crawl. These small horrors cause more damage than all the natural disasters put together.
The reason why inspections are so crucial, is because some properties make termite entry visible and not preventable. A skilled professional will know exactly what to look for and specifically where to locate them. Regular inspections may prevent you having to go through the whole rigmarole, time and time again if it is done properly the first time around. You do not want to miss a single creep, only to start a whole domino affect of structural damage to your property.
Our expert in the field of termites, come highly recommended as these inspections as well as treatments are only as good as the person responsible for the completed job.
The latest equipment is used to ensure an accurate procedure. Our termite detection dog, a thermal camera and Termatrac t3i which detects heat from their activity, make our treatments so much more effective and yes, it puts us above the rest. With our specialized dog treatment which is 98% more effective, dogs are able to detect termites under a concrete slab at a faster and more accurate level due to smell detection. Visualizing the affected areas under the slab, is somewhat more challenging and time consuming.
It is advisable to be present when the termite expert inspect your home for any past or present termites and any signs of activity. The expert will be able to point out the areas that are likely to be targeted and the location inside and outside your home invaded by the termites at present. He will also be looking out for droppings, broken termite wings, mud tubes and wood that have been damaged. Termite infestation is not always visible, as they tend to chew on wood from the inside. Your termite inspector will determine according to his findings, what treatment plan is best suited and effective to eliminate these pests from your home.
Termite treatment
These treatments are to be done by professional termite technicians only. DIY projects should not even be considered with a job so detailed and accurate. You may end up exhausting your expenses on termite damage if not done correctly.
There are a few treatment options, but this all depends on the outcome of the inspection prior to the treatment plan being confirmed.
The rule of the treatment goes without saying. It has to comply with Australian Standards, which means colony control needs to be considered first and the maintenance treatment plan needs to follow. The second would be the product used, what the label indicates and where and how the product should be applied in order to be the most effective when treating and protecting your home.
Termite treatments include dusting or foams, baiting, termite monitoring stations and a chemical ground treatment.
Dusting
This is a spot treatment that is done in order to gain control of the colony. The product we use at Sydneyโs Best Pest Control is Termador Dust. It is a non-repellent and 95.5% food alpha cellulose, which is the same used in the baiting stations. The product must be applied to all the active areas as well as entry points for the most effective results. The dust needs specific application by the technician to avoid areas being missed.
Baiting
This does not involve the use of chemical sprays at all. Stations are placed in specific located areas and bait is placed inside the stations once termite activity is seen. It is non-chemical and contains an active ingredient so potent and effective that only a small amount is needed. The mites carry the bait back to the colonies, spreading and ingesting the bait which causes their fatality rate to sky rocket instantly.
Termite soil treatments
The preferred treatment depends on the structure of your home. The termite technician will be able to determine which option is best suited.
โ Repellent/ Chemicals
Products that are used in soil treatments combine with particles in the ground and in turn prevents the termites from passing through. If they do, they die. For the small little creatures, they are, they are able to detect the chemical in the ground which may make this specific treatment tricky if you do not know your story. If applied where termites are active, they may detect the repellent and choose another way around, into your home. It is best to use this treatment in and around a property that has no active termites. Repellents act as a toxic barrier around your home and applications needs to be unbroken within the entire area to be effective.
โ Non- repellent
A non-repellent product will allow the termites to travel through the soil as they do not detect the area being treated. They come in contact with the active ingredient and carry it back to the colonies as explained above. This is the complete process of elimination.
Termite monitoring systems
No chemical spraying or dusting is involved with this system. Stations are placed in specific areas in and around your home. The non-chemical product is placed inside the system and within a small marked area. Trelona ATBS and Sentricon Always Active is used in monitoring systems which the termites feed on straight away. They do not need to be lured back to their colonies to spread the bait. This system is recommended, as no toxic chemicals are used. We are all about saving the environment. Always.
Termite prevention:
By having your inspections carried out as required, your risk for termite damage may decrease tremendously. The fact remains, early detection and prevention of initial of even further damage, will possibly save you thousands of dollars if detected early rather than leaving it for later. They do not just go away as time prolongs. Termites can cause major and disastrous damage to your home if inspections are ignored or moved onto the future pages of your diary..
How to prevent termites from your side
โ Remove firewood and timber that are on the ground away from your home.
โ Remove dead trees, leaves, branches and other debris accumulating from your lawn.
โ Keep the gutters clean.
โ Reduce humidity from the foundation of your home and accumulated moisture from other areas.
โ Fix all leaks, pipes and broken taps to eliminate damp areas.
โ Have your annual inspections done within the required time period and done by an expert in termite control.
How to prepare for a termite inspection?
There is not much preparation to be done prior to the inspection, nor the treatment. The only requirement is to be able to gain access to the subfloor and the roof void if needed. If your home is in a general clean state and the area near the walls are free from clutter, there really is not much else to be taken care of. As our termite dog is part of our inspection protocol, we prefer no other dogs or cats to be present during the inspection.
Action satisfaction
Termite treatments are expensive, but crucial. In order to prevent several repeated and failed procedures, our advice to all home owners is to consult a professional pest control company and to follow through on your annual termite inspections. We recommend that other dogs or cats not be present while we inspect the entire area with our trained sniffer dog.
If you suspect any termite invasion or infestation happening within your home, please donโt hesitate to call Sydneyโs Best Pest Control on 1300 760ย 045. We will provide you with the most effective and informative knowledge about termites and the best available treatment plans to secure your home from these mountain builders.
#funfacts
โ The total weight of all the termites in the world is more than the total weight of all the humans in the world.
โ They shed their wings once they have found a cozy spot to build their nests. (The decoration is probably too much to handle.)
Further informative reading:
Have you had your termite inspection done?
How often termite inspections need to be done
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