• who is at risk?

The emphasis of current building regulations is on managing termites through barrier systems and inspections rather than environmentally harmful methods of the past.  As with almost any problem, prevention is cheaper and more effective than cure. 

A recent CSIRO study found that steel & masonry homes had virtually the same chances of attack as timber houses. 

• what kind of termite management system do I need?

For new houses the secret to termite management is to prevent pest entry in the first place.

• Before buying a property in a termite risk area, always get a professional inspections & obtain a certificate;

• The Golden Rule: Design to allow for house inspections.

There is a range of building products that will minimise the risk of any termite attack. 

The key priority is to provide a system that addresses the whole of the house, not just structural elements.  This usually consists of a barrier system built into the construction that is designed to assist termite inspections once the house is occupied. 

Other features can also be added for high risk sites.

When building new houses

• Use termite resistant timber where possible

• Ensure that a proposed building has termite barriers specified in the plans & that they are installed to the manufacturers specifications.

Special Considerations for High Risk Building Sites

Some building sites pose a greater natural risk of termite attack than others.  Ways to identify high risk sites include:

• Large and established sources of termite food and nesting near the site (e.g. established bushland) increases the likelihood of termites.

• Permanently damp ground increases the ability of termites to attack, i.e. they can more readily build mud tunnels from the ground into the house.

• The further north in Australia, the greater the prevalence of termites.

• When building right up to the boundary, inspections may not be possible from the neighbour's property,

• thus increasing the risk of hidden attack.

• When adding house extensions, problems such as barrier continuity, sub floor ventilation and sub floor access may increase the risk of attack. 

If you find yourself saying yes to any of these issues, then it's best to plan to deal with them before building. Consult your builder, designer and pest manager because you may need to do more than the minimum requirements.

Tips on things you can do for High Risk Sites.

• Consider open or at least well ventilated sub-floors,

• Ensure good inspection access and crawl space under the house,

• Provide good surface drainage to keep the sub floor area dry,

• Use treated timber framing to minimise the materials at risk,

• Isolate structures such as decks and balconies from the main structure, i.e. if the barrier systems can't be integrated smoothly with the main building,

• Inspect for termites at less than the maximum 12 month intervals

• Get detailed advice from a pest manager, ask if they have professional indemnity insurance for timber pest inspection and treatment.

Remember... before you build, design to make it easy to inspect for termites

Building Products for Protecting Homes Against Termites.

In general, make sure the termite management system fits the house style ...one type does not suit all!!

There are many products available on the market in Australia that prevent termite access, offer resistance to termite attack or detect termites. 

Redlands Pest Control have tested many & we prefer to use these systems:

• Homeguard Precision Termite Management
• Camilleri Injection Under-slab System (reticulation)

We have a dedicated Pest Managment Technician who is available to discuss your requirements, so please:

• call us on 1300 361814 
• email rpc@redlandspestcontrol.com.au
• use the contact form below

 We are able to service all over Brisbane 7 days per week.