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.

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.