You may think your new home is free from a termite problem but you can never be too sure. Being complacent and completely ignoring this particular threat can cost you dearly down the line. You’ll surely end up spending more on remedies and repairs than what you could’ve if you only got routine inspection done in the first place.
Because a lot is at stake with this kind of property inspection, property owners like yourself will ask: how often should termite inspections be done? You’d want your space to remain free of these crawling nightmares all year round, after all.
Annual Inspection?
People you know may recommend that you book a termite inspection once a year but the truth is that there aren’t any hard and fast rules on how often you should have it done. With termites finding Australia’s climate generally favourable, you’ll never know when they strike and damage your property from the inside.
To better understand the frequency by which you get this pest inspection done, let us take a look at the factors that make your home or business at risk for infestations.
It’s a good idea to get an inspection done when you find out your neighbour or a nearby building has had a reported case of infestation. What most property owners don’t know is that termites can travel up to 200 meters from their original colonies to establish new ones. If a neighbouring structure is having termite problems, there may be a good chance that some may have already found their way into your place.
The single biggest determining factor of the risk level your property is in will be its location. Studies have shown that one in three Australian homes will be affected by termites some time in their life. Say you have next-door neighbours on both sides of your house, this only means that your house is all the more susceptible to an infestation (statistically speaking). Also if the area around your home has established trees then the risk is increased again.
For properties found on such high-risk areas, it’ll be best that a termite inspection be done at least once a year. To be on the safe side, however, you could shorten that 12-month interval and have one performed every 6 months.
Besides eradicating termites, pest control companies often implement protective solutions to help keep those pesky creatures at bay. When you don’t have such a termite barrier in place, you’ll have to keep up with the 6-12 month routine inspection interval.
A termite inspection will have to be done regularly, however, if the property has had a long history of termite problems. It pays to remember that termites can do substantial damage in such a short amount of time so you shouldn’t go without getting an inspection done for too long, otherwise, you could find the infestation has practically become out of hand!
Some termite species love damp places and they typically thrive in dark spaces where there’s a degree of dampness. This is why inspectors often discover termite infestation after a property has sustained water damage.
Once you discover some form of water damage in your house (e.g. plumbing leak or flooded basement from a heavy downpour), know that the surroundings will likely become a perfect habitat for termites. The inspection report will give you peace of mind that your property hasn’t fallen victim to these wood-eating pests. The sooner you can get one done after your property has experienced some form of water damage, the sooner you can catch a newly-formed colony!
Australian property owners and investors need to understand that termite colonies thrive best in places with average temperatures of 25-28 degrees. Cooler weather is less-than-ideal for termite activity and this means that they often attack in full force for most of the year, especially in parts of Australia where it’s generally warm for the majority of the calendar.
This means that there isn’t an ‘ideal’ time to get a termite inspection done. Have a pest control technician come over at the first sign of trouble because there’s no telling when these pests strike and invade your personal space. They can do substantial damage over a 6-12 month period and this is why you shouldn’t always opt for this conventional advice. It’s one effective way to stop termite destruction dead in its tracks, before it causes serious structural damage to your real estate asset.
Aiming to get rid of pressing termite problems will often take priority over protective and preventive measures. Don’t wait for the next scheduled termite inspection before you act on any obvious sign of termite damage.
However, remember that a treatment to just eliminate existing termites from your home is a short-term solution and you will need to put termite barrier protection in place after this critical step has been actioned. Without it, the termites will keep coming back even if it takes them months or years to do so. At some point, a new colony will track pheromone trails of the last termites that inhabited your place and bring back sleepless nights.
Regular Termite Inspection a Must
Whenever you’re hesitant on the idea of getting termite inspection done, it pays to remember that Australia is a hot spot for termites due to our hot and humid climate. This may be why Australian standards recommend property owners and investors have a pest control technician inspect their property annually or bi-annually. Ignore this warning and you’ll soon find you’ve been sharing your living space with wood-eating insects that feast on your house without your permission.
To be sure of how often you should get termite inspections done on your property, give our team a call!