What You Need To Know About Preventative Termite Treatment

Finding termite nests in your home can be pretty frustrating. However, if you have never come across a termite nest, you probably have many questions as far as they are concerned. What are termites? What are the signs that your house might have a termite infestation? How badly will it affect your health and accommodation if it is not handled? This article will cover some of the most frequently asked questions and provide you with a holistic view of this topic.

What Are Termites?

A homeowner must identify termites to avoid mistaking them for any other insects. Termites are often referred to as “white ants”; with small bodies measuring 25 millimetres, consisting of a wingspan of 76 millimetres. There are thousands of termite species in the world. There are more than 360 classified species in Australia, drywood species being the most invasive ones in the country. Underground termites travel through the soil to evaluate the size and quality of food sources a process that is economically damaging to human beings.

What Are The Consequences Of Termite Infestation?

Industry surveys claim that termites attack an average of 7.2 million households, and the average termite prevention treatment costs are estimated at $650 million per annum in Australia. Though people usually associate termite attacks with residential homes, commercial-buildings owners also suffer in the event of a termite infestation.

Another critical consequence of a termite infestation is the effect it has on your health. If you live in a home infested by termites, you will likely suffer from allergic reactions because of their saliva or droppings. Moreover, a termite infestation could further aggravate asthma attacks.

If you do not acquire enough knowledge on pesticides, you could end up misusing them to eradicate the termites, which could, in turn, lead to other serious health problems. Therefore, protection strategies are practical solutions to prevent financial losses and protect our health.

How To Identify A Termite Infestation In Your Household

Even though a vast number of termites might be taking over your household, it is difficult to spot them from just a slight glimpse. Fortunately, you can start with careful observation. Moist soil, punk wood, and damp environment are termites’ favourite shelters because of their richness in nutrients. Start by checking every corner of your home: the attics, all cracks and joints, and fuse boxes.

The evidence of a termite infestation will be different with each household, but there are tips to identify that your house is under a termite attack, including:

1. A Knock On The Wood

This sounds as easy as a folk game, and that’s because it is. You simply have to knock on wood and listen to the sound if it is hollow or soft. To further ensure, press a screwdriver against the wood. If it goes in easily, there is a high chance of termite inhabitancy in there.

2. Clicking Sound

Just like any other insects, termites have their way of communicating. When termite soldiers sense a threat, they bang their heads against the wood and shake their bodies to signal to their mates. If you happen to hear a strange clicking noise from inside the walls, you could have encountered termites signalling to each other.

3. Evidence Of Wings Lying Around

Termite wings have a long thin shape and are white or transparent in colour. When they are ready for a new colony, termites will shed their wings in swarms. Therefore, you will see bunches of wings scattered in your household.

4. Mud Tubes

When digging inside woods and walls for food, some termite species will leave a long “highway” made of soil or wood with a width of about one to two centimetres. Encountering these mud structures means that there are termites in your building. However, this occasion is not universal as some termite species such as drywood termites do not dig their way into the wood and create mud tubes.

5. Peeling Paint On The Wall

To make their way into dry, hard walls, termites will moisturise them. As a result, it may create bubbles and make the paint wet, and thus it peels off easily. Though this sign is not as apparent as the ones mentioned above, you can consider searching for multiple clues at once since termites never leave one evidence at a time.

6. Encountering Live Termites

Termites often gather swarms. Therefore, you may have a chance to see them moving on the ground or flying in the air. Either way, ensure that you distinguish them from flying ants since there are similarities in their appearances.

Be sure that you deal with a termite issue in your construction by seeking appropriate solutions to this problem and soon as possible.

Some Of The Best Ways To Deal With A Termite Infestation

The best way to deal with termite infestations is to start preventing them before your builders complete the building. If they finish constructing the building before you have sought the services of a trustworthy pest control service, the process of exterminating termites would be much more complicated. However, that does not mean that it is impossible. The termite treatment for new construction requires distinct methods and collaboration with a pest control company and the construction team.

Below are some of the best ways to deal with a termite infestation in your building:

• Soil Treatment Using Conventional Liquid Termiticides

The foundation of this preventative treatment method relies on the biological behaviour of the termites. As soon as the builders complete all the stages of construction, the exterminators will pour these liquid termiticides down the soil layer of your building.  This method is done in both the interior and exterior of your building. The process requires effort, exact measurement, and collaborative techniques. Therefore a thorough extermination job can only be accomplished by a qualified pest controller.

• Wood Treatment Using Conventional Liquid Termiticides

This treatment method is an alternative to the one above. Instead of applying liquid termiticides into the ground, this chemical is used on wood to prevent termites from building mud tubes inside the wood. However, this process contains a chemical that can intoxicate the users if you do not handle it carefully. Therefore, you should contact a trustworthy and skilled termite control service team to be responsible for this project.