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Termite mudding behind a tap in a laundry.
A good termite inspection will reveal damage and infestations which may not be obvious. In this instance, there was little visible evidence of termites until a little more investigation revealed termites in behind the laundry wall. Often, looking behind easily removable fittings can make a difference between a quick and thorough inspection! Whilst. There was moisture discovered, further investigation confirmed it was a termite infestation.
See how a termite reticulation system shouldn't be installed and avoid the traps of incorrect termite control!
Read MoreA treated pine frame with termites throughout.
Treated timbers are a great way of preventing damage to timbers in service, however, not all treatments are created equal.
Here is a picture of a piece of treated pine frame that was infested with termites in less than 18 months. The problem? It was in constant contact with moist soil, this timber was not designed to withstand this kind of environment.
Landscaping timbers that are in contact with the ground are always a potential attractant for termites, especially untreated timbers such as these old railway sleepers. The termite mud galleries are clearly visible from the face of these sleepers. Keep an eye out for these mud shelter tubes not only on landscaping timbers, but also on the exterior walls, trees and any other timbers in contact with the ground in your garden.
How to reduce conducive conditions to termite infestation.
A downpipe draining against a building, it's like a pub with free beer for termites!
Often when we find termites in a house, it's no surprise what we find outside. Termites need not only food but moisture to survive, so if there is a place near a building where there is a good constant supply of moisture, it will most likely attract termites there. That's exactly what happened in this instance. Upon discovering the termite entry point inside the house, it was no surprise to find that this downpipe was constantly dripping water against the house.
Here's a great free tip on reducing your homes attractiveness to termites. Remove any water sources that could be leaking against the structure. Ensure all leaking taps are repaired and that all your downpipes are connected properly.
Other things to look out for include hot water units and air conditioner overflows.
Timbers are classified on their ability to resist termite attack, choose carefully!
Large termite gallery on a Cypress Pine Stud. Cypress is considered a Class 1 Natural durability class timber.
There certainly is merit to building with termite resistant timbers, as you can see in this picture.
The termites had completely eaten out a masonite sheet that was used as the boarding material, however, due to the durable nature of the cypress pine frame and boards, these were not affected by the termites.
Choosing a material when building which is naturally resistant to termite attack will pay off in the long run. Generally, these materials are also resistant to other forms of natural decay, so you end up with a better building as a result.
Whilst a nuisance, the homeowner who had the problem pictured above, did not have to spend large sums of money replacing structural timbers, it definitely pays off in the long run!
Did you forget something?
We often think that a concrete structure is sound and has no need for termite protection, but unfortunately, the very formwork used to create these concrete creations are the cause of termite problems.
Termites mudding shelter tubes on some forgotten formwork.
Alhough this building did not have timber structural elements, it had a lot,of decorative timbers inside that were damaged. Just because it's not structural timber doesn't mean the termites won't eat it, and some decorative timbers are not cheap to replace.
An eradication programme ridded this building of termites and the owners were informed to remove all formwork to prevent this happening again.
This monster was found in the subfloor of a property that had an infestation on the upper level of a two storey home. Whilst there were several entry points, obviously the colony decided to make a copper pipe into a superhighway. A thorough inspection found many more galleries turning this home into a regular smorgasbord.
Monster Termite Gallery!