Your guide to Managing Termite Risk

by SerumTD-019 | Sep 30, 2020 | Blog, Termites

Here’s a fact you might not know: over the last 20 years, termites have caused more damage to Australian homes than fires, floods and storms combined. No wonder termite damage is excluded from most home insurance policies!

These highly destructive pests infest Adelaide homes in large colonies to feed on timber frames, walls, under floorboards, and any other wood fittings within your house. With colony sizes ranging from 100,000 to 2 million termites, by the time you notice any signs of damage it is usually far too late.

In fact, a colony of 2 million termites is capable of entirely destroying a house within 2 years.

Fortunately, it’s not all bad news: there are some steps you can take to drastically reduce the risk of an infestation and safeguard your current or future home.

Termite prevention when building a home

If you’re about to build a home, your termite risk management starts now. It’s important to use termite-proof materials like concrete slabs and steel frames, and we highly recommend installing a barrier such as the Kordon Termite Barrier, which will repel termites from your home.

At Allstate Adelaide we also provide moisture protection and concrete curing to further mitigate the risk of termites in the construction phase.

Speak with your builder about Allstate’s preconstruction division or contact us directly using the orange chat button.

Check for termites when buying a home

Purchasing a property is one of life’s biggest investments, which is why should you always make sure you’re investing wisely by getting a building inspection. However it’s important to know that this inspection doesn’t cover termites.

That’s why it’s essential to also get a separate pre-purchase timber pest inspection from a qualified termite professional.

Precautions when living in your existing home

Whether or not you took the right precautions when buying or building your home, there are several important steps you should take to reduce the risk of a termite infestation at any stage:

Repair any leaks immediately – moisture-compromised wood is a haven for termites
Make sure you have sufficient drainage and grading to keep the soil surrounding your home dry
Keep all plants, bushes and trees trimmed away from the house
Don’t stack firewood against your house
Book a termite inspection from a qualified pest control professional at least once every 12 months

Prevention is a whole lot easier than cure

For homebuyers and owners, it really pays to invest in managing termite risk now, so that you can be confident you’ve protected yourself for the future.

Our termite control team at Allstate are some of the most experienced in Adelaide, and our dedicated pre-construction division helps builders keep homes protected from the beginning. Learn more about our termite services here.

Sort out your termite risk management today – click the orange chat button or speak to our friendly team on 8371 1277.

5 easy ways to stop bugs from spoiling your spring

by SerumTD-019 | Sep 28, 2020 | Blog, Pests

In Adelaide, we spend the second half of winter hanging out for those sunny 25-degree days just around the corner. But when they finally come, they tend to bring with them an onslaught of spiders, termites and other spring pests that we don’t usually welcome so warmly.

Fortunately with a bit of preparation and some help from the experts, you can enjoy all the best parts and none of the pest parts of SA’s favourite season.

1. Start your outdoor spring clean

If you wanted a reason not to delay your backyard clean up any longer, this is it! Get onto this now, and you’ll be able to enjoy a tidy yard and reduce the chance of pest infestations over the next few months.

Here’s what to focus on to help keep the spring pests out:

Clean your gutters. Leaves and gutter debris are a great food and water source for a lot of pests, so removing these will make it harder for them to thrive.
Weeding and mowing. Long grass provides the perfect hiding place for many pests.
Trim shrubs, bushes and branches that overhang your roof. These provide easy access for ants and possums, so it’s best to keep them distanced from your home’s exterior.

If you need some help with your spring clean, the Allstate team has you covered with our new Property Maintenance Service. Just click the orange chat button to book.

2. Make time for a kitchen cleanout

The kitchen is a favourite haunt for spring pests – especially ants and cockroaches. Keep up with the obvious like regularly emptying bins and wiping down bench-tops; but there are also a few other things you can do:

Go through your pantry and cupboards and discard any stale or dated cooking items, then make sure everything is in sealed containers.
Wipe down the inside of the pantry, cupboards and draws.
Pull appliances away from the wall to thoroughly clean behind them.
Scrub the kitchen counter and floor with dish detergent mixed in warm water.

3. Bust bugs with a professional pest spray

One of the easiest and most effective ways to keep bugs away all spring is with a pest inspection and spray. We’ll come and inspect all areas of your house, outdoor area and additional buildings, then apply treatment that kills and deters pests, but is safe for you and your family.

Click the orange chat button or call 8371 1277 to book.

4. Inspect cracks, doors and drains

It’s worth doing an inspection on any points where pests might gain access or be attracted by moisture in your home. Check for:

Leaking taps.
Torn or badly fitting flyscreens in doors and windows
Any cracks or gaps in the interior of your home.

5. Hunt down termites with an Allstate termite inspection

Spring is also primary activity season for our least favourite pest – the dreaded termite. These wood-eating insects will live off the timber inside your walls and cause hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage without you even knowing they are there.

A far cheaper and easier alternative to repairing that mess is to get a regular Allstate termite inspection, and the start of spring is the best season to do it.

Click the orange chat button or call 8371 1277 to book.

Here to help with your spring bug blitz

Whether you’re a homeowner, business owner, or property or facility manager, spring shouldn’t have you tearing your hair out over avoidable problems with pests. We provide integrated pest management plans tailored for homes, businesses and commercial facilities, as well as a dedicated service for property managers.

Get the support you need this spring by clicking the orange chat button or calling 8371 1277.

Your guide to termite inspections

by SerumTD-019 | Aug 6, 2020 | Blog, Termites

Do you keep thinking about getting a termite inspection but haven’t got around to it?

As people who see the heartbreak that these insects cause on a weekly basis, we urge you to do it sooner rather than later.

To make it easy for you, we have put together this quick guide so you know what to expect from your next termite inspection.

Why get a termite inspection?

Roughly 20% of all Australian homes will get termites at some stage, which is why the CSIRO recommends getting an annual inspection. Termites wreak havoc on your home and cause major structural damage, and unfortunately it’s not usually covered by your home insurance.

A simple $200-$400 investment each year will save you from potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run.

What happens during a termite inspection?

Once you book your inspection, a qualified termite technician will come out at the agreed time to inspect your home.
They use a range of tools to detect the termites and cover all areas of your house, outbuildings and grounds.
Once they have completed the inspection, they will explain what they have found and give you recommendations for treatment if needed, or tell you how to reduce your risk for future.
Your technician will email you a detailed report including photos and a proposal for any necessary termite control.

What areas of my property does it cover?

While a termite technician will focus on areas that are likely to harbour termites, Allstate technicians will cover every area of the property so that nothing gets missed.

This includes the:

Interior – each room is checked top to bottom including doorframes, skirting boards, cupboards, floor surfaces and wall surfaces.
Roof void – if we can gain access to the roof void, we will check over the timbers with a sounding tool and screwdriver.
Subfloor – if you have a subfloor, we check this by either cutting traps into the floor or by using our Borescope technology to check for signs of termite entry.
Exterior – we inspect the full perimeter of the house from the foundation edge to the fascia, using a sounding tool and screwdriver.
Outbuildings – we inspect every outbuilding, inside and out.
Grounds – we inspect the grounds of the house, including landscaping timbers, gardens beds, trees, stumps and the fence line.

How do pest technicians detect termites?

The techniques used include:

Sounding – a sounding tool tests the integrity of the wood.
Moisture readings – we use a moisture meter to get the background reading for the house, then find any areas where the reading is higher, which tells us there are termites present.
Movement detection – this tool fires infrared rays into the timber to check for termite activity.
Borescope – this allows us to take pictures of active termites in timber.
Visual inspection – we will also visually check for ingress points and mud tubes.

What happens if they find termites?

If we find any signs of termite activity, we will recommend control and management systems best suited to your home and the degree of infestation. We will explain these thoroughly and detail them in your termite inspection report.

How do I know if I have termites without an inspection?

The short answer is you don’t. Once you see in any obvious signs of termites, they have caused significant and costly damage.

For most homes getting an annual inspection is the best way to protect yourself.

How much does a termite inspection cost?

A lot less than the cost of fixing a damaged home. Allstate termite inspections range from $200 to $400 depending on the size and structure of your house and the size of your property.

To get a quote or book your termite inspection, live chat now or phone us on 8371 1277.

6 signs of termites you need to know about

by SerumTD-019 | Aug 6, 2020 | Blog, Termites

House fires and termite infestations both destroy your home. However one is 12 times more likely to happen than the other, and it’s also the one not usually covered by house insurance. Of course, we’re talking about termites.

While the only way to check for termites is with a qualified termite inspection, there are signs of a bad termite infestation that everyone should know about.

If your home does have any of these signs, the termite infestation is probably at a stage where you’ll have major structural damage, but you should be aware of them nonetheless.

Signs of a major termite infestation in your home

1. Clicking sounds from your walls

In a bad termite infestation you may hear clicking coming from your walls. Sometimes the sound is termites munching away, other times it’s the sound of them head banging! The soldier termites bang their head against wood when the colony is disturbed as a danger signal for the rest of the colony.

2. Tight-fitting doors and windows

If it isn’t hot or wet weather making your doors and windows hard to open, it might be termites. When the termites eat and tunnel through doors and windows, they weaken the wood which fills it with moisture. This causes them to warp in much the same way that damp weather does.

3. Flying termites and piles of wings

After three to five years, a termite colony will produce flying termites, who will leave to start a new colony elsewhere. These types of termites are known as swarmers, and you may notice them near lights or windowsills.

You may also notice piles of discarded wings near your doors and windows – a sure sign you need a termite inspection.

4. Mud tubes

Mud tubes are tubes of dirt, wood and debris, and you may notice them outside your home. Subterranean termites live underground, and build these mud tubes as a tunnel between the nest and their food source in your walls.

5. Hollow-sounding timber

Termites eat wood from the inside out, and so in a bad infestation, your walls will sound hollow when knocked. By this stage they would have severely weakened the structural integrity of your home.

How to spot termites before they have eaten half your home

The above six signs usually point to a severe infestation, and by that stage, termites have usually caused significant damage to your home.

Fortunately professional termite inspectors have specialised tools and techniques to detect termites when there are no visible signs of them, and well before they have cause any major damage. These tools include listening equipment, moisture metres, a borescope and thermal imaging. Read more about what happens in a termite inspection here.

Protecting yourself from termites

CSIRO recommends a termite inspection at least every 12 months to protect yourself from the headache and heartache termites can cause. It’s essential you get this inspection with a qualified termite professional who has a reputation for thorough inspections.

At Allstate Pest Control Adelaide, our qualified termite technicians use a set inspection checklist to ensure nothing gets missed. This covers your:

Interior
Exterior
Roof void
Subfloor
Any outbuildings
Grounds

On completion of the termite inspection we explain our findings to you in detail then send you a comprehensive report.

To book in a termite inspection before it’s too late, live chat now or phone us on 8371 1277.

How rats get in your house

by SerumTD-019 | Jul 27, 2020 | Blog, Rats

They’re dirty, destructive and a horrifying sight in your house. Even Sir David Attenborough admits he’s not their biggest fan. Unfortunately for us South Aussies, our cold winter is encouraging rats to shelter in our homes and they’re very good at finding their way in there.

How do rats get in your house?

You don’t need a rat-sized hole to let one into your house. Rats are amazingly good at squeezing through tight spaces – even smaller than a 20-cent coin. They are also good at gnawing, digging and jumping, so have a lot of skills at their disposal to make it inside.

Some of the ways that rats can get in your house include:

Holes in the roof

Your roof will usually have small gaps created by your roof corner intersection, which rats can usually fit through. They can also chew through ridge cap plugs to gain entry. Any gaps should be sealed with a waterproof sealant.

Cracks in your walls

Rats can enter via cracks in your external walls, then find a way through the inner wall where you have existing holes for pipes and wiring. Smaller holes can be filled with caulk and larger holes with steel wool or waterproof sealant.

Gaps around windows

Any small spaces around your windows are often big enough for a rat to crawl through. Check and seal any windowsill gaps and check your flyscreens for holes.

Chimneys

Chimneys are an easy entry point and a good nesting spot for rats. Installing a chimney grate or cap is usually the best way to help keep them out.

How to tell if you have rats in your house

While seeing a live rat is a pretty obvious sign you have a problem, other indicators to look out for include:

Rat droppings, which look like large, dark brown grains of rice
Gnaw marks on anything from walls to pipes to food containers
Squeaking or scurrying sounds coming from the walls or roof
Greasy rub marks on walls or furniture (these are from the oily sebum in the rat’s fur)
A strange musty odour

What to do if you already have rats in your house

If you think you have rat problems, the first thing to do is check for any entry points using the list above. Given rats are so crafty, these can sometimes be tricky to find and you may need the help of a rat control expert.

Once all entry points are sealed up, you can manage the rats with traps or bait. It’s important to remember that rats are ‘neophobic’, meaning they are afraid of new things, so it can take several days for them to build up the courage to inspect the trap or bait.

When to use professional rat control

If you have rats in your house, DIY rat control can be effective in some situations. However if the problem doesn’t seem to be going away or you are concerned about children, pets or wildlife accessing bait, it’s wise to get a professional to do the job properly.

At Allstate Pest Control Adelaide we always start with exclusion – finding all rat entry points and sealing them up. We then manage the rats using strategically placed, lockable bait stations that keeps the bait safely out of reach of children and pets. All treatments are covered by a 6-month warranty, meaning that if rats return within that time frame we will re-treat your home free of charge.

To get rats out of your house and keep them out, live chat now or phone us on 8371 1277 to book.

Reopening business? Covid-19 shouldn’t be your only hygiene concern

by SerumTD-019 | Jun 18, 2020 | Blog, Business

A message from Vasili, CEO – Allstate Pest Control

As South Australia eases restrictions and more businesses reopen and return to onsite work, much attention is being placed on number of people per room, hand sanitiser dispensers and elbow bumps. And while these measures are important for keeping everyone safe and preventing future outbreaks, we need to address a second big issue – pests have quite possibly running amuck in your premises for the last three months.

While pests are always trying to find a way indoors, our absence has been great for opportunistic rodents, flies and other pests. And while you may not always see them, it doesn’t mean they’re not lurking in drains, behind cupboards or wall crevices – compromising health and ready to disturb customers and staff at worse possible moment.

Pests you should look our for and why

Some pests pose more of a problem than others. These are the main ones to look out for:

Rats and mice

Notorious for carrying diseases and damaging walls and furniture, rats and mice are a major hygiene problem, particularly for food service businesses. And because they dwell in enclosed areas like corners and behind cupboards, it could be a while before you realise they’re there. Look out for:

A strange, musky smell left by the rodents’ bodies, faeces and urine
Dark droppings – mice droppings look like ground coffee, while rat droppings are slightly bigger and look like grains of rice
Squeaking or scurrying sounds coming from the walls
Greasy streak marks on walls or furniture, left by rodents’ fur
Signs of gnawing, or tears to food packaging

Cockroaches

Like rats and mice, cockroaches are very unhygienic and fast breeders. They contaminate food, spread disease, and can cause asthma and other allergies. Keep an eye out for:

An unusual musty smell
Brown smear marks, usually seen on horizontal surfaces and where walls meet the floor
Egg capsules, which are brown and oval-shaped
Cockroach droppings, which look like ground coffee
Live cockroaches – if you see one there are almost certainly many more out of sight

Flies

Flies are not only a nuisance, but pose a health risk to both customers and staff, thanks to their ability to spread diseases like Salmonella and E.coli. If you notice signs of flies, it’s important to nip a small outbreak in the bud before it becomes a major problem. Watch out for the following types of flies:

House flies will be found hanging around rubbish bins, as this is where they lay their eggs
Drain flies – a tiny tan-coloured fly which dwells around drains as the name suggests
Fruit flies are found around drains, rubbish bins, and empty bottles and food containers

Ensure a successful reopening with a Return to Work Pest Service

If you’ve just reopened, there’s an easy way make sure you’re pest free. Allstate’s Return to Work Pest Service is a straightforward inspection and managion program so you can be confident your business is 100% safe and healthy.

Find out more COVID-19 page or phone us on 8371 1277 to book.