Termites are often called “white ants” in Australia

Subterranean termites or “white-ants” are a highly destructive timber pest, causing major structural timber damage to domestic and commercial buildings in Queensland. A major economic pest: Recent industry surveys suggest about one third of all unprotected properties in Queensland are subject to attack by subterranean termites. Most of the latest technology for termite control products comes from the USA where termite control is a US$5 billion industry. Other major termite control markets include Australia, Japan, South East Asia, China and the south of France. Most homes are at risk in Queensland in built-up urban areas, especially if well established gum trees are nearby the building - within a 100 metre radius. The problem is getting worse: Severe termite damage to Australian homes is on the increase since the removal in 1995 of the long lasting soil barrier chemicals; the more common use of softwood building and other landscaping timbers that termites find irresistible, such as, hardwood timber mulch and railway sleepers on the ground. Other important factors promoting termite colony development include automatic watering systems, landscaping and maintenance that encourage termite activity and inappropriate building design that allow hidden termite entry into a building. DESTRUCTIVE TERMITE RISK ASSESSMENT * * Based upon CSIRO data and APCA national survey Termites live in the ground and can eat your house down Termites are known to destroy the wall and roofing timbers of a home within 3 months of construction. Termites cause more damage to homes in Australia than fire, floods, storms and tempest, combined. Termites occur throughout Queensland, with a high incidence of attack in virtually all urban areas. Consumer Note: The standard Home and Building Insurance Policy will NOT cover the repair costs of termite infested structural and decorative timbers.

The full report is available on http://www.termite.com.au/termites/qld.html

With whole websites dedicated to the viscous little beasts why do we persist in building in soft knotty pine that is prone to termite damage? This really awakens the vision of a hungry termite just chowing down on your home, as used by NuSteel in their early 21st Century ad campaign promoting the utilisation of steel frames in house plans in particular for kit homes for the owner builder.

Look who’s coming to dinner

… and whose home on the menu ?

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Picture on your left shows a Fumapest termite inspector examining a large subsidiary nest, termites built inside the dining room wall cavity of a home.

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Termites often build such above-ground nests provided there is a reliable moisture source, such as, from faulty plumbing, leaking pipes, shower recess, guttering, broken roof tiles and the like.

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Look for tell-tale termite mud-tubes

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Picture on left shows a mud-shelter tube that subterranean termites have built over a brick foundation wall to the flooring timbers in a sub-floor of a home.

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Termites are very secretive and will often enter a building through areas inaccessible to inspection, such as, via on-ground patios, cracks or expansion joints or around concrete slab flooring, particularly if the slab edge is obscured by pathways or garden beds.

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Tiny termite entry points around your home? Termites can pass through a 2 mm crack in concrete slab on-gound flooring and will readily eat through the rubber compound between the adjoining concrete slabs to gain access. Termites can then travel under parquetry and other floor tiles to get to the wall and roofing framing timbers.