TERMITE CONTROL MELBOURNE

There are many species of termites. In Australia, there are approximately 355 species of termites. The specie of termite helps us understand the termite’s feeding habits. This provides insight into the termite’s feeding preferences and the types of materials it is likely to infest. Not all termites are destructive. The three categories of destructive termites are: subterranean, drywood and dampwood.

Subterranean Termite

The most common type of termite is the subterranean termite, which is often pale white in colour. These termites are commonly known as ‘white ants’. They require a source of moisture to survive and enjoy eating through wooden materials that are moist and wet. They thrive when a property has wooden stumps submerged in soil and earth. The termites will tunnel their way through the earth to reach various parts of the stumps that are surrounded by moist conditions.

The termites will form tubes using soil, wood, faeces and saliva to protect their nests and travel paths. These shelter tubes or mud tubes are common signs of a termite infestation. Formation of these tubes are more prevalent during humid and tropical conditions where the environment is warm, wet and moist. In these conditions, the likelihood of termites foraging to find cellulose-based materials is high.

Spreading Infestation

Soldier and swammer termites are known for having a slightly brown head and wings respectively. The soldier termites protect the other termites, particularly the worker termites, by eating enemies (i.e. ants). The role of the swarming termites is to fly to new locations to expand their colony and presence respectively. Often the swarming members of a termite colony are confused with moths because they fly around in search for a new home to reproduce and develop a colony. It is important to keep a look out for these pests and engage a professional pest controller at the first sighting to ensure appropriate and adequate treatment is applied before the new colony establishes.

It is common in Australia for home insurance policies to not cover damage caused by termites. Since termites are a part of nature and present throughout Australia, it pays to be vigilant. Never leave any sighting of termites unattended because it is best to have the area inspected and treated even if the infestation is small to prevent the situation becoming worse.

How To Detect Termite Infestation?

Termites often do not make their presence known immediately or in the short-term. Usually, it becomes apparent that termites are present because of visible damage to your property. This awareness occurs at a later stage after the termites have devoured most of the wooden parts of your home. It is important to inspect your property on a regular basis to ensure termites are not around. Especially when your property is located in moist, humid or tropical conditions, the prevalence of termites will be high.

Here is a list of common signs of termite infestation.

• Hollow timber: When you tap against a timber material and it sounds hollow, termites might be infesting underneath. Without making an inspection hole, a professional termite controller can use a thermal measuring device to detect termites underneath a surface.
• Papery wooden substance: When a wooden substance feels papery and flakes forms, termites might be feeding and weakening the substance. If all that remains is a thin layer of wood and paint, it might be time to strip back the material and inspect underneath.
• Shallow skirting board: A shallow skirting that has lost its structural integrity might be infested with termites. If you can poke your finger through the board, there is likely to be termite damage underneath.
• Hole in the flooring: Holes in floorings are not always signs of termites. However, if your flooring has a moist environment underneath, this could be a sign that termites have eaten their way through the flooring boards. You can avoid this issue by polishing the boards and treating all surfaces.
• Cracks in door jambs or window frames: As termites feed on wooden substances, the structural integrity of the substance weakens. Eventually, the door jamb, cornice or window frame will crack at the mitre joint. Check to see whether the cause of this crack is due to termites or movements to structure of the property.
• Tight fitting doors or windows: When termites infest on doors and windows, they excrete a substance which traps heat and moisture. This is important for termites so that they survive. This causes the wooden material to swell. The effect of the swelling is to make doors tighter to close and windows harder to move.
• Mud on wooden elements: Termites form mud tubes or shelter tubes to protect themselves from the environment. They use these tubes to travel from one location to another and to nest on wooden substances. This helps them to support their feeding habits. Any sign of soil or mud deposits on wooden elements of your property should be immediately treated and securely disposed.

Effective Termite Treatments From VIP Pest Control

At VIP Pest Control, we offer effective termite treatments in Melbourne. Specialising in termite treatment, inspection, protection and control, we have the knowledge and experience to fix your termite problems. The high-quality products we use ensure that your home or business is pest-free for a guaranteed period.

How To Get Rid Of Termites

Getting rid of termites requires two things: a pest control professional regularly attending your property, and proactive cleaning measures by the property owner. At VIP Pest Control, our termite inspection and treatment services can maintain a pest-free zone around your property. Property owners can help by keeping their home or business clean and removing any unwanted timber, green waste and debris.

As termites secretly eat the timbers in your property, they are always looking for new sources of food. Like any living organism, finding foods requires effort and often they will eat anything that is easiest to obtain. As their feeding frenzy continues, it will become more apparent that termites are roaming around in your property. It is important that you engage a professional pest controller and do not attempt to treat termites yourself. Termites are notoriously destructive and if treated incorrectly, they can cause even more damage and relocate to a new area in your property.

It is best to engage a professional termite controller who will conduct a survey of the property and ensure that the entire property is appropriately and adequately treated for termites. Completing a partial job is not an ideal solution because living larvae can transform into termites and then reproduce to create even more termites. Often, termite treatment requires multiple visits to protect the property from termites completely over the longer term.

When looking for a termite control company, engage a service provider that has the skills, experience and tools to treat termites effectively. Understanding how termites nest and travel is crucial to targeting the treatment application directly at the source. Professional termite controllers also have access to useful equipment that can detect termites under surfaces without having to make holes in the property. In addition, professional service providers use quality treatment products that are safe for humans, pets and plants.

The best time to treat your property for termites is either on a proactive or reactive basis. If you know your property exists in an area where termites forage, it is best to have a professional attend periodically to treat the entire property for termites. However, if you sight termite destruction then it is crucial that you immediately engage a professional to treat the area and to prevent the spread of termites and their destruction at your property.

Termite Protection in Melbourne When Building or Renovating

If you are building or renovating, it’s important to consider termite protection in Melbourne. Some council areas are designated ‘Declared Zones’, meaning termite protection is compulsory. If your property is located within one of these zones, you must consult a termite control professional to ensure that termite protection measures are in place. To make sure your building or renovation plans comply with all termite protection requirements, contact a professional pest control company.

DIY Termite Control

DIY termite control methods can help deter termites from invading your property. Since termites thrive in moist, humid and damp environments, you need to keep these conditions at bay. To do this, fix water leaks, maintain proper drainage and ventilation, and avoid having gardens against your property. You should also avoid leaning goods against your house or business since these provide bridges for termites to enter your property.

Home Termite Prevention

Equipped with knowledge of the nature of termites, there are many things you can do in order to prevent termites from visiting your home:

• Remove any unnecessary access points around your property. Sealing gaps around water and gas lines is a good idea if you are concerned.
• Wherever possible, try to reduce the number of loose wooden articles in your home that are in contact with the ground. These too have sometimes been known to act as access points.
• Modifying your landscaping can help in deterring termites. Replace landscaping mulch with cellulose-free alternatives, or move it back from your foundation by a minimum of six inches.
• Ensure that there is no excess moisture around your property. This should be especially done around the foundation of your home, on the roof, and in basements and crawlspaces. Plumbing should also be repaired if it ever becomes faulty or leaks.
• If you are embarking on your own home improvement projects that involve some kind of timber, give the the supplies a once over to ensure that they are in good condition especially if they are used. A visual inspection should be more than enough to make certain that you are using unaffected wood.