How to avoid termite Infestation?
Termites just love wood which is the primary ingredient in their diets. Therefore, getting rid of any potential termite food source that may be littered near your house is always a good idea. This includes stacks of timber, old tree stumps, logs, waste timber left over from construction activities, among others. Timber should never be stored underneath your house either, unless it has undergone prior treatment or happens to be the kind that is naturally termite resistant.
It has been proven that termites also have a high affinity for water, so it is always a good idea to ensure that any leaking water pipes, sinks, or drains, are promptly fixed, especially if they happen to be located near the building’s foundation.
Keeping the area underneath your house well ventilated will prevent the buildup of humidity, which is a prime inducement for termite breeding. Ensuring that your home’s foundation is secured with a well-designed, cured and compacted concrete slab is also a good preventative measure, since termites can’t eat through it to get to the wooden parts.
Ultimately, the surest way to rid yourself of a termite infestation is to permanently eliminate the king and queen, who are also known as the reproductive. Without doing so, the colony will just keep on rebuilding; no matter how many times you destroy it.
How often should I have my house inspected for termites?
By having your house regularly inspected, you will be well on the way to eliminating termites before they can wreak any havoc. Pest Control Australia specializes in pest control Caloundra and North Brisbane. We can get in touch with you to arrange regular inspections if you happen to reside in the North Brisbane or Sunshine Coast area. We recommend that you have your house is inspected at a minimum of once a year, however if your home has no termite protection, we recommend every 3-6 months.
The termite inspection will be concluded with a detailed report covering all the areas inspected, findings, high risk areas that couldn’t be accessed, and any other vital aspects that were used to determine the recommended actions. The whole process of inspection is not very expensive and will be dependent on your homes location, size, and ease of inspection access.
The inspectors will include all accessible timber – constructed areas in and around your home and/or building including the roof, interior and exterior, fences, and garden that are accessible in their inspection. They are assisted by highly specialized equipment like Termatrac’s which includes a Termite Detection Radar, Advanced Remote Thermal Sensor with Laser Guide and an Advanced Moisture Sensor in carrying out their duties.
Once the inspectors have identified an infestation in your house, they will first attempt to locate the termite nest and destroy it directly. Any logs, stumps, and wood stockpiles located in your compound will be the prime suspects for locating the nest. The structure can be permanently destroyed either by total removal or by using a chemical insecticide.
Regardless of whether the nest is located or not, the termite infestation must be prevented from recurring and this will involve the use of chemical remedial treatments in various forms. These chemicals will usually take the form of a barrier, bait, or dust treatment.
Barrier treatments are a form of chemical soil barrier usually applied underneath and around the home to prevent future termite infestation. These treatments can be in the form of liquid or powder formulations. Dusts usually take the form of stand-alone treatments, but may also take the form of a combined formulea.
They should only be applied by professional licensed pest controllers, of which we are and also licensed by the BSA. Pest Control Australia will just have to apply a little measure of chemical carrying an active chemical ingredient right into the area that’s infested by termites. The chemical will then be carried by the termites back to their nest, from where it will spread through the entire colony where it will be ingested and eventually kill off all the termites.
Baits are used to attract termites into a baited target from where they are fed some kind of palatable food that contains an effective ingredient. Termites then ingest the poisoned bait, drag and spread it all over the colony. In case enough of the active ingredient has been ingested, then the whole colony can be eliminated. While there are commercial barrier, dusting and baiting systems that you can purchase online, we believe the products offered by professional licensed pest control in Brisbane North like Pest Control Australia are the most effective. Keeping in mind that any chemical handling should always be left to professionals.
