Australian Pest and Termite Control Blog

Many magnificent structures have been made using wooden products. The advantage of building using wood is that you are able to put up the structure within a short period. Wood products are also widely available and at a cheaper price than stone. Many structures including homes, churches, and social halls were built with wooden products in the last century. Some are still standing up to today. However, others have not stood the test of time. They have been damaged by termites.

Termites are white ants that feed on wood. They feed on trees in the forest and wooden structures. Some of the damage they cause is quite visible to all. However at times the damage they cause is not visible. In such cases, you can only ascertain the extent of damage through invasive inspection, which involves pulling down part of the house.

A young family, who experienced a terrible loss a few years back through the death of their father and husband, suffered an additional setback in their home. They discovered that termites were destroying their home. Termites had eaten into the wooden frames and structure of their home. However, they were fortunate enough to have an extreme makeover of their home courtesy of a local television show.

The damage caused by termites has not been limited to private homes. Social buildings have also fallen victim to termites. A church in Athens, in the state of Tennessee recently suffered such a setback. Termites had eaten up the church’s floor joints, wall infrastructure and ceiling. The church members attempted to make few repairs to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, their efforts created a worse problem for them. Their wooden church building developed structural problems. The walls caved in and the city officials condemned the building.

Subsequently the insurance company cancelled their policy citing “material changes in risk.” The church now has an USD 80,000 hole in its budget to fix the church. Had they taken precautionary measures to stall the damage caused by termites, the catastrophe may never have happened.

A similar fate befell a congregation in the Philippines. A church in the city of Cebu had to rebuild a building on its former site because termites had damaged the old one. It took a period of three years to rebuild it with massive resources sought from donors to complete the job. These are just but a few testimonies to show how destructive termites can be. It is therefore in your best interests to seek to protect your home from these pests. The cost of preventing and controlling these pests is indeed a drop in the ocean compared to the resources that may be required to rebuild the entire structure.

There are three types of inspections done to determine extent of damage by termites.  The first type of inspection is the visual inspection. They may just inspect your wooden frames and doorposts. Alternatively, they may have to conduct an invasive inspection to check termite damage in places that are not readily visible. A third method has recently come up where the inspectors use thermal imaging cameras to detect termite activity. This method is in use to avoid having to pull down part of your building to facilitate inspection.

To protect your home from these pests contact a pest or cockroach control company in Sydney. They will give you a free quotation of how much it will cost to do the job. They will also inspect your house for termite activity.

If you’re concerned about any of these common pests and need some help exterminating them, you can contact Pink Pest Services for professional pest control in Sydney or call 02 9529 5222 for immediate assistance.

Whether you are buying a home in Sydney or even selling one, you will find that one problem you need to be uniquely aware of is termites. Termites, despite being so small, are numerous, and when looking at home ownership you need to think about what these little pests could mean to you. With attacks on one in five homes in Sydney, termites are not something that you can afford to ignore.

Eliminating termites once they have moved in can be costly and stressful. It is far better to prevent termites from setting up camp in the first place. The truth is that there are plenty of ways you can keep your housing termite free. Take a proactive stance when it comes to termites, and take care of a small problem before it becomes a big one!

The first thing that you need to do is to stay vigilant. Most experts recommend that you check your home for termites every year. While this might seem to be fairly often, remember that it doesn’t take all that long for termites to get in, make themselves at home and to do some damage.

The signs you are looking for will occur in places that termites love, including subterranean locations and areas that have a lot of dry wood. Look for piles of termite dirt in wooden ceilings, and make sure that you keep track of any mud tunnels that show that the little pests are digging around.

If you are building a home or adding to your existing home, take the time to choose materials that are resistant to termite invasion. Redwoods, juniper and cedar for instance are highly attractive woods with wonderful aromas. The natural oils in these woods makes them less susceptible to incursion by termites and other insects. Also strive to keep things as dry as possible. Make sure that you don’t allow water to accumulate in or around your home, and that if you have a basement area, that it is kept dry.

When looking to ensure that your home is not termite friendly, remember to consider your landscaping as well. Make sure to keep the plants in your garden back from your home as this will prevent moisture from having time to do its worst. This will also help keep mold from flourishing.

Similarly, make sure that your sprinklers don’t spray directly onto your house and that any piles of wood or debris are kept away from your walls. Any areas of wood outside your home should be sealed against the weather and pay special attention to the bottom of your walls.

If you are looking to build, buy or sell a home in Sydney, take some time and think about what you can do in order keep termites away. It may save you a lot of time, money and stress in the long run.

If you’re concerned about any of these common pests and need some help exterminating them, you can contact Pink Pest Services for professional pest control in Sydney or call 02 9529 5222 for immediate assistance.

Termites are arriving daily! A wooden house and the right weather conditions are all termites need to take up residence and begin causing big problems. Besides water, termites are your household’s largest foe. The only thing they do all day is eat your house and procreate. Termites multiply at incredible rates and can be potentially devastating to homes. Early detection is vital and homeowners, particularly around Sydney, should be constantly on the lookout for signs of an infestation.

Drywood and subterranean termites are the most serious threats to your home. Drywood termites live above ground, particularly in warm coastal areas. Found largely in higher elevations, subterranean termites are more prevalent and pose a more serious threat to homes in the Sydney area.

These are 5 signs that your home may have termites:

1. Hollow wood. Poke some wood close to the frame of your home with a sharp object – if the wood is being corroded from the inside, it is very likely a sign if an infestation.

2. Grime in wood. Termites are especially fond of damp wood and termite damage is often mistaken for water damage (and vice versa). Damp areas are typically the first place which termites will choose to invade. Check any damp areas regularly – for instance, near sprinklers, leaky pipes and so on.

3. Flying termites.  A large number of flying termites pouring from wood or the dirt is often the most prominent indication of an infestation. Termites commonly ‘cloud’ in early springtime. You may also detect flying termites streaming about windowsills.

4. Muck appearing between crevices.  If your home is infested with termites, you may see muck coming up from crevices between planks and boards.

5. Termite wings in bright places. Since flying termites are attracted to bright light, check around window sills and other bright locations for cast off wings. If you see a lot of them, contact a pest control company at once, as this is a sign of an infestation.

What You Should Do If You Come Across Signs of a Termite Infestation?

First of all, do not panic. As luck would have it, termites enjoy tasting what they consume and are sluggish feeders.  Experts say it takes five years for a colony to be absolutely destructive.  Contact a professional pest control company for advice pertinent to your individual circumstances.

How to Keep Termites Out

Here are 5 ways to keep termites out of your house.

1. Avoid heaping wood of any kind up against your house, such as timber, limbs, or branches.

2. Don’t let water build up near your home’s foundation – this attracts termites.

3. Do not store wood under your deck or patio.

4. Make sure that the soil around your home does not come in contact with your sidings, especially if you have wooden sidings. This is like putting out a welcome mat for termites. Wood siding should be at least a foot above ground level.

5. Do any necessary repairs and maintenance to keep water from getting into the substructure of your home – this will deter termites.

Termites are responsible for billions of dollars in damage to homes all over the world.

If you suspect that your home may be infested with termites, get in contact with a certified pest control company immediately. Early detection of termites is the best way to protect your home.

If you’re concerned about any of these common pests and need some help exterminating them, you can contact Pink Pest Services for professional pest control in Sydney or call 02 9529 5222 for immediate assistance.

Shhh!!  Did you hear something?  No, it is not a burglary going down but there is danger afoot in your home. Termites [aka white ants] are busy chipping away at your financial investment. It is time to turn the light on these freeloading bugs, and kick them to the curb. Do not wait until they move in permanently and eat you completely out of house.

Just like you, termites need food and water to live. The favoured food source of the termite happens to be wood. Now since your home is constructed of their favourite food, it makes sense that they would choose your home as their meal. Termites are attracted to the cellulose in wood, from which they derive sugar. For water, termites rely on rain, leaky faucets and standing water outdoors.

One of five homes in the Sydney area is affected by these destructive pests. There are ways you can keep these menaces away from your home. You need to find and repair any faulty ventilation which allows for the build-up of moisture. A damp environment will draw termites that are on the lookout for a source of water, which is like putting out a welcome mat for them. Check for cracks in your foundation, these allow termites an easy way into your home.

Termites build their colonies and live their lives mostly underground. They build a labyrinth of tunnels which may go as deep as three feet underground. These tunnels often lead right into your home! When termites invade, they can undermine your home with their tunnels. To prevent termite incursions, you must be vigilant. Remember, these creatures can destroy your biggest and most important investment – your home.

One of the biggest problems with termites is that you may not even see them. They won’t knock on your door politely asking to come in. There may be no signs of their presence at all, but the damage is being done. To be safe from this danger, you need to get rid of them before they seriously damage your home. An investment in termite protection now is far better than paying for the destruction which they can cause.

Annual termite inspections protect your home and its value. When selling your property prospective buyers will expect proof of the house being termite free. If there are any indications of a previous termite infiltration, even if termites no longer exist, it can cost you losing valuable equity, just the fact that termites were once present. In high-risk areas, experts recommend timely termite inspections at least twice a year. This damage control stops termites dead in their tracks before you have to say”there goes the neighborhood.”  Termite infestation is a serious threat in Sydney. We cannot just sit back and hope the problem will disappear.

You’re going to need professional help to eradicate the threat of termites. A complete inspection can help prevent and detect termite infestation. A professional can help you be prepared for this threat which can destroy your home without warning. Develop a plan for exterminating these pests and you’ll protect yourself and your home.

If you’re concerned about any of these common pests and need some help exterminating them, you can contact Pink Pest Services for professional pest control in Sydney or call 02 9529 5222 for immediate assistance.