Q. How often should I have my home inspected for termites?
A. It is recommended you have a termite inspection every 12 Months. Most new home warranties become void if a 12 Monthly termite inspection is not carried out by a licensed Pest Manager.
Q. Does my insurance cover termite damage?
A. NO
What are you looking for when you do a Termite Inspection?
Wood damaged by subterranean termites are often not noticed by home owners because the exterior surface of walls and floors must be removed to be able to see the damage. (Termites do not show themselves to ultraviolet light).
1 in 5 Homes are affected by Termites.
"The Termite Population on earth outweighs the human population"
SUSPECT TREES
Termite sub nests are often located in or under trees, stumps and wood stacks. (Due to the popularity of stump grinding some sub nests may be burried under concrete and go undetected until a problem occurs.)
OLD TERMITE DAMAGE
Wood damage or mud tubes with no visible termites.
ACTIVITY
Evidence of new activity or the presence of live termites or shelter tubes.
MOISTURE
Excessive moisture in a home can cause wood decay and fungus growth as well as making the area attractive to termites and other timber pests. (It can Also cause allergic reactions to humans)
Termite workers, that do all the damage to your home are sexless and blind so they cannot distinguish the difference between a home and a tree.
TERMITES EAT....
Not only timber but carpet, clothing, books, furniture, chipboard, plaster board and wiring ( just to name a few of the 120 common household items they have been known to eat) but the most serious damage involves the loss of structural strength.
Damage from Termites has cost home owners hundreds of thousands of dollars and in some cases homes have had to be demolished.
Subterranean Termites cause more than 98% structural timber pest damage to homes in NSW and QLD. Termites have the ability to adjust the depth of their colony (nest) in soil depending on temperature and moisture requirements. The colony may be 50 meters deep in the ground.
The queen termite sits in her nest for up to 25 years and lays an egg a second (approx 30,000 eggs per day). Termites will travel 500 meters + from their nest to find food.
Termites are a very serious pest in Australia, causing damage that costs hundreds of millions of dollars to repair each year. A recent survey established that one in every five homes are attacked by termites at some stage. Another study shows that the risk of a house becoming infested by termites is five times greater than fire.
Even more worryingly, any termite damage done to your home is very unlikely to be covered by insurance. While most local government authorities require termite Barriers to be incorporated into the construction of all new buildings, most existing houses are vulnerable to termite infestation.
The dry-wood termites presents special problems, particularly since soil barrier treatments are of no value in the control of these species. Once a termite inspector has clear picture of the facts concerning the infestation including identification of the termite species responsible he/she will recommend the appropriate treatment.
Some common treatments
Chemical Barrier
Bait Stations
Baiting Systems
Reticulated Barrier
Nest Treatment, direct treatment of active termites.
Some Chemicals traditionally used are no longer legal due to their toxicity
The organochlorines (cyclodenes) are no longer used in Australia as their use was banned in 1995 except in the northern areas of Australia; they are now banned over all of Australia. The use of organochlorines as soil barriers has been replaced by the organo-phosphorus insecticide chlorpyrifos, the pyrethroid bifenthrin and chloronicotinyl, imidacloprid. Chemical barriers may also be applied using a reticulation system PVC pipes that facilitate the application and renewal of the chemical barrier.
Bait Monitors using termite attractive timbers of matrices assist detection, species identification and eradication procedures and are now used extensively. The use of moisture meters, sound detection apparatus, fiber optic equipment and other devices also assist in termite detection.
Insect growth regulators (IGRs) used in conjunction with bait monitoring systems are achieving colony eradication, often where the colony cannot be located. These materials are hexaflumuron and in some areas they are replacing the arsenic dust eradication procedures. Physical barriers of finely divided granite and stainless steel mesh are also used in preventing termite access.
Technical skills involving colony location and eradication treatments will now be an important facet of termite control as they were 50 years ago before the organochlorines were used in termite control prevention.
CONTROL OF TERMITES
When Inspecting or surveying a building suspected to infested by termites, it is important our termite inspectors consider the following aspects:
Prepare a diagram of the building and the grounds around it, including the trees and landscaping modifications. This will assist in the final recommendations on control. Such a diagram could reveal a nest area and even the point or points of entry.
Collect soldier caste termites from area of infestation both outside and inside the building without disturbing the areas excessively. The possibility of the existence of more than one colony, of the same species or different species, must always be considered identity or have identified the species. This information is placed on the diagram.
Make an effort to locate the colonies nest. There may be more than one perhaps of different species.
Inspect fences, trees, tree stumps and areas were timber may have been buried during building or other soil changes.
Inspect the house including roof and sub-floor areas, paying particular attention to the soil / building contact, whether of slab construction or on foundations.
While Confirming the termites presence, we take great care not to disturb the workings excessively. This is best achieved by making a very tiny opening in the shelter tube or infested timber.
Also indicate old damage as distinct from active workings on the survey sheet.
The survey sheets not only provide an accurate record of an inspection, but also allow the termite inspector doing the treatment to concentrate chemicals in areas of greatest hazard.
BASIC PROCEDURES IN TERMITE CONTROL ARE:
Locate the colony and eradicate it.This requires skill and experience and there is always the possibility of a second or third colony in the immediate vicinity. When the offending colony is located the cost involved usually small in comparison to chemical barriers around your home.
When termite activity and damage are present and the colony can not be found the arsenios trioxide dust treatment and more recently the use of termidor dust treatment of the workings with the aim of eradicating the colony is usually carried out. Often, when the amount of activity is small, the chances of success in such cases is slight. When dust treatment in such cases have been carried out regular inspections must be made for some time after as this type of eradication procedure is not considered reliable.
The establishment of chemical soil barriers to isolate a building from a termite colony has proven successful for many years. These treatments also may involve drilling though concrete slabs or the injection of the chemical in order to form a barrier beneath that will prevent access through the concrete.
PREVENTION OF ATTACK
Prior to 1993 there were three Australian standards that dealt directly with termite prevention and control. THESE WERE;
AS1694-1974- Code of practice for Physical Barriers used in the protection of buildings against Subterranean Termites
AS2057-1986- Protection of buildings from subterranean termites-chemical treatment of soil for buildings under construction.
AS2178-1986- Protection of buildings Subterranean termites- Detection and treament of Infestation in existing buildings.
As from 1993 these three Australian standards were incorporated into one Australian Standard, Namely;
AS3660 - Termite management. This has since been revised and is available in three parts:
AS3660.1-2000 - Part 1: New Building Work
AS3660.2-2000 - Part 2: In and around Existing buildings and structures - Guidelines
AS3660.3-2000 - Part 3: Assessment criteria for Termite Management systems.
Australian Standards in the AS 3660 series cover most aspects of termite prevention and control. Therefore the specifications and application techniques covered in the standard are not repeated here. Our technicians all posses a copy of the standard, skills in the work and the necessary equipment for the establishment of a chemical barrier or reticulation system.
Licensed installers of the Camilleri underslab Injection System
The Camilleri Underslab Injection System is a patented Reticulation System designed to treat and prevent subterranean termite entry under the slab and around the perimeter of both domestic homes and commercial structures.
It may be installed as an Underslab, Perimeter or around penetrations as required and is also approved for use around poles and posts in the ground.
The success of the Camilleri System lies in its simplistic yet robust design. Strong polythene pipe and components ensure lasting success where you cannot see it – under the ground!
Once installed, Termiticide can easily be pumped through the system at rapid pressures to ensure continued termite prevention of your most precious asset, your home.
The System has been designed to achieve a Service Life of over fifty (50) years.
Now that’s peace of mind!
Technical
The Camilleri Underslab Injection System satisfies the performance requirements of the Australian Standard 3600-2000 and Building Code of Australia (2006). Independent Field and Laboratory testing ensures the continued growth and development of the System.
SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES
Only a tiny insect but it is responsible for in excess of $100 million worth of building structural damage to homes throughout Australia each and every year.
AN ALARMING FACT
One in two homes built on a concrete slab is likely to experience termite infestation within the first five years after construction.
THE PROBLEM IS
The cure, in most cases, is worse than the disease.
TREATMENT
Since the banning of Organo chlorine chemicals in June 1995, all pre-slab termite treatments will need re-treatment on a regular basis. Drilling the slab is inevitable. Because this involves the drilling of the concrete floor, the devastation and major expense can be worse than the infestation itself.
SOLUTION
The installation of a re-treatment system such as the Camilleri Underslab Injection System prior to construction will prevent termite attack and ensure that drilling will not become necessary. It will also provide the mechanism needed for re-treatment.
CHEAPER, MORE EFFECTIVE, LONGER-LASTING
The Camilleri System is the only economic solution and should be specified before any building work is carried out on your new slab construction home.
Take action NOW. It is too late once the slab is poured!
Design Life Declaration
The Camilleri Under Slab Injection System for the Control of Subterranean Termites has been designed to achieve a Service Life of fifty (50) years. The components used in the manufacture of this Termite Barrier have been selected for their intended purpose and are expected to operate in accordance with their specification for the duration of the design life of the System.
The Camilleri Underslab Injection System is now registered for use for both Underslab and Perimeter application with Termidor®
Sentricon* II Advanced Termite Control Were environmentle factors need to be considered
With small Sentricon stations placed discreetly around the home, the Sentricon II Advanced Termite Control system is less of an aggravation than traditional liquid chemical treatments:
No drilling in floors and foundations
No digging or trenching
No chemical solution injected in the ground under and around a home
No tank trucks of chemical solution
No scheduling hassles
Environmentally responsible.
The Sentricon II Advanced Termite Control system was developed with a green mentality. In contrast to liquid chemical treatments, which use hundreds of litres of chemical solution, the Sentricon II Advanced Termite Control system uses only a few grams of active ingredient when and where needed to wipe out the colony. Sentricon AG can be placed where active termites are found and when colony elimination is achieved, they are removed. Likewise, Sentricon IG Termite Bait is only there when you need it and then Sentricon IG stations and your Termite Information Centre Technicians provide ongoing monitoring for new termite attacks.
About Termidor
TERMIDOR is the newest termite control product on the market in Australia. Since its release in 2002, Termidor has rapidly grown to become one of the leading termite control products on the Australian market.
TERMIDOR is applied as a treatment to the soil surrounding existing structures. Traditionally these types of applications are referred to as chemical barriers, although in the case of Termidor, the chemical does not act in the same way as many older chemicals. Rather than a barrier that repels termites, Termidor acts as a non-repellent treated zone, which allows termites to enter and therefore more efficiently killed.
The reason for this is that Termidor is undetectable to termites. Termites will actually enter the treated zone, where Termidor binds to their cuticle. Once this has occurred, it is only a matter of time before they are killed. And time is not on their side. Termidor’s unique Transfer Effect™ ensures that the Termidor is passed from one termite to the next and as a result even termites that have not directly come into contact with the treated soil can pick up a lethal dose.
Extensive testing with Termidor under Australian conditions where termites were present in the structure showed control within nine weeks, with an average of 4.3 weeks to achieve control. However, not only will Termidor kill termites that are present, it will also prevent concealed entry to structure for a minimum period of 8 years for ALL TERMITE SPECIES - a claim no other termite control product can make.
TERMIDOR will not repel termites and therefore they cannot avoid the treatment.
TERMIDOR will prevent concealed termite entry to structures for a minimum of 8 years on ALL TERMITE SPECIES - a claim no other termite control product can make.
TERMIDOR is fast - On average, termite activity was eliminated within 4.3 weeks in Australian trials.
TERMIDOR is less water-soluble and binds more tightly to the organic matter in soil than other non-repellent termiticides. This means it stays where it is applied.
TERMIDOR has no effect on soil micro-organisms, earth worms or plants.
TERMIDOR has been used on over 2 million homes in the US and over 15000 buildings in Australia since its introduction in 2002.
