With a fragile outer skin, termites must protect themselves and their colonies from the environment and predators by building and living in tightly sealed nests. Being dark, warm and high in moisture, these nests provide them the ideal conditions to survive.

Termite nests are carefully constructed from a mixture of dirt, chewed wood, clay, saliva and droppings which combine to form a tough, solid outer shell.

Inside, they usually contain various chambers which are connected by an extensive intricate network of tunnels.

Consider taking the following steps to actively deter termites from building a nest on your property:

Regular garden maintenance

Avoid storing piles of wood near your house, and remove rotten tree stumps and wooden sleepers. Clear away piles of leaves and litter from your gutters. Keep tree branches, plants, shrubs and bushes trimmed away from the walls of your home.

For landscaping projects, take care not to damage any existing termite protection barriers.

Remove sources of moisture

Inspect for leaking pipes and drains and fix them as soon as possible, as moisture attracts termites.

Termite inspections are the best way to prevent a termite outbreak

Without proper the training and equipment, it can be hard for the average person to know for sure if there are active termites on your property! That’s why our top tip for termite protection is getting regular termite inspections conducted by an experienced professional.

Depending on the extent of the outbreak and the number of active termites, our technicians will use a combination of the following termite management methods:

Premise termiticide spray

Applied directly to areas with heavy termite traffic, Premise works within a few hours to stop termite activity. It is formulated to specifically target termites, making it safe for people, pets and the environment.

Sentricon termite stations

A proven long term termite prevention barrier, Sentricon provides continuous protection from termites as soon as it is installed. Positioned around the perimeter of your home, 30cm away from your walls, Sentricon underground baiting stations are laced with termiticide to keep termites from venturing any closer inside.

Termite infestations can be difficult to identify in the early stages, and if you’re untrained in termite behaviour, it can be even harder to detect subtle clues in a busy commercial facility. Here’s what our licensed termite inspectors look for

Building damage

A clear indicator of extensive termite destruction, seeing changes to your walls, floors and ceilings means that the structural integrity of your building has been compromised. Look for cracks, blistering, warping and sagging.

Mud tubes

Irregular rows of hardened brown dirt stuck to a wall, wooden beams or foundations are one of the more obvious physical signs of termite activity. Known as mud tubes, these tunnels are made from a mixture of wood debris, dirt, saliva and droppings. They serve to protect termites from predators and prevent moisture loss as they journey from their nest to forage for food.

Clicking sounds

You may be able to hear a persistent clicking sound coming from your walls or ceilings as termites carve away inside wooden beams.

Interruptions to electrical supply

As electrical fittings and wiring are often installed in and around key wooden support structures, termite tunnels can accumulate organic material and cause electricity supply disruptions, increasing the risk of a fire hazard.

Hollow sounding wooden structures

As termites tunnel through wood and create a void in the middle, you will hear an empty, hollowed out sound when you tap on the wood.

According to government recommendations, termite inspections should be carried out at least once a year, or more frequently if you’re in a high risk area.

At Allstate, we understand it’s important not to have any disruption in business hours, so we happily work outside your hours of operation.

Using modern equipment such as moisture readers, sounding tools, borescopes and movement detectors, our termite inspectors thoroughly assess all areas of your property inside and outside buildings, including walls, floors, ceilings, roof voids and subfloors. We take care to check the yard outside, particularly if you have wood piles, fencing, sleepers, lots of trees, or moisture.

Once your inspection is completed, your licensed termite inspector will send you a report with recommendations to safeguard your property. This report will highlight all potential risk factors to determine the most ideal inspection frequency for your business.

At Allstate, we’ve seen the devastating consequences that a pest outbreak can have on businesses. From small to medium to large commercial facilities, our Integrated Pest Management program has been proven to successfully keep customers, employees, clients and staff safe from pests in all suburbs of Adelaide.

After an initial assessment of the premises, we’ll identify all possible risks and take into account your current pest control measures to make sure that your business is completely compliant with government standards.

With the assistance of a dedicated pest control technician who understands the needs of your business, you’ll then have a tailored pest management program put in place.

But that’s not all. To make pest control even faster and easier, you’ll have 24/7 access to your personalised pest management program via our online pest control portal.

There, you’ll find all inspection reports, compliance documentation and a copy of your pest management plan in one convenient place. As an added bonus, you can report any new problems immediately and receive a fast response from your assigned pest control technician.

If you’re a busy property manager, Allstate offers modern, personalised pest control solutions for property managers to make your job easier.

Unless you have a severe infestation on your hands, it can be hard to tell if you have a termite problem.

At Allstate, our professional termite inspectors have experience, extensive training and the right tools to recognise the subtle hints of a termite outbreak. Here are examples of early signs of termites:

Damage to walls, floors, skirting boards, beams and ceilings

Wooden structures inside your home are vulnerable to termites, and you may notice cracks, blisters, warping and sagging. Paint might appear to have bubbling or have water-stain marks.

Damage to trees, outdoor wooden structures, sleepers and furniture

Some species of termites prefer living in tree stumps and wooden structures above the ground, hollowing out the wood inside. This means that trees and branches may topple, and sleepers may crumble, potentially causing a hazard.

Hollow sounds in timber

If you knock or tap your walls and hear an empty, hollow sound, this could be due to termites tunnelling through the insides of the timber.

Mud tubes

Subterranean termites build tunnels to protect them when they are foraging for food away from their nests, which are located underground. These tunnels are usually made of a mixture of saliva, dirt, wood and other debris and provide a safe pathway to travel.

Clicking sounds in the wall

As termites tunnel through wood, they make clicking sounds with their constantly chewing jaws and teeth. Soldier termites are known to knock their heads on wood to make clicking noises and warn other termites of impending danger.

Termite wings

Winged termites or swarmers leave the colony every few years when it is ready to expand, and start a new one elsewhere. They’ll find an old tree stump or wood pile to create a nest. After mating, they will lose their wings, and you may see these accumulating around your windows and doors.

Termite droppings

If you notice a build up of a fine, dark, powdery substance on your floors, this could be due to a termite outbreak.

Tiny holes in wooden structures

These could be entry points for termites.

Windows and doors become hard to open

Termite activity can increase the amount of heat and moisture within affected structures, such as window and doorframes, and result in expansion. This can mean that doors and windows become hard to open.

No matter the size of your property, your licensed Allstate termite inspector always has the right tools and knowledge conduct a thorough assessment inside and outside. They will also assess how well your current termite protection system is working.

Termite detection equipment

To help identify early signs of a termite outbreak, our termite inspectors use the following devices:

• Borescopes assist with taking photographic evidence of termite activity within timber structures
• Moisture meters can pinpoint areas with a higher than normal moisture content
• Movement detectors can locate active termites
• Sounding tools are tapped against timber structures to check their integrity

Physical inspection

Our termite inspectors will pay close attention to the following areas of your property, which are known to be popular spots for termite activity:

• Timber beams
• Interior rooms, covering the walls, floors, ceilings, door and window frames, skirting boards and cupboards
• Subfloors
• Outdoor/yard inspection, including the perimeter of the house, garden beds, sleepers, woodpiles, trees, stumps and wooden fencing
• Interior and exterior sections of outbuildings

A termite outbreak can be stressful and expensive to fix, so we understand how important it is to prevent it from happening in the first place. That’s why yearly inspections by licensed termite inspectors can be extremely valuable.

Established in 1986, Allstate has been carrying out comprehensive termite inspections in homes and businesses across all suburbs of Adelaide for over 35 years. Using modern technology, our team is fully equipped and highly trained to assess properties of all sizes, inside and out.

Available 24/7 for urgent callouts, our inspections are covered by competitive warranties. You can even arrange for a payment plan, so there’s no need to delay your next termite inspection. Safeguard your home from termites today.