Read this first
Found live termites or a mud tube? Do not spray them and do not break anything else open. Leave the area exactly as you found it, take a photo and call. Disturbed termites retreat and turn up somewhere else, which makes them harder to find and treat.
Termites eat timber from the inside out, which is why the damage is so often found late. They live in the soil or in a nest nearby and travel into the house out of sight. If you think you have found them, the most useful thing you can do is leave everything exactly as it is and call.
What to look for
Signs you have them
- Mud tubes, about as wide as a pencil, running up foundations, piers, walls or fence posts.
- Timber that sounds hollow or papery when you tap it.
- Paint that bubbles, ripples or looks water damaged with no leak to explain it.
- Skirting boards, door frames or window frames that give way under a finger or the vacuum head.
- Doors and windows that have become tight or hard to close.
- Small wings left on window sills or near lights after warm, humid weather.
- Fine mud packed into cracks and joints in timber or brickwork.
Usual hiding spots
Where they hide
- Nests are usually underground, in tree stumps, in the base of trees or under the house.
- They travel through the soil and come up through the subfloor, cracks in concrete slabs and gaps around pipes.
- Timber touching the ground is an open door: sleepers, fence posts, decking, stored timber and firewood stacked against the house.
- Garden beds and mulch built up against walls can hide the entry point.
- Damp spots attract them: leaking taps, hot water overflow pipes, air conditioner drips and poor drainage under the house.
The honest version
Why it matters
Termites can damage the structural timber of a house, and the damage is hidden inside walls, floors and roof framing until it is advanced.
Home insurance in Australia generally does not cover termite damage. Check your own policy.
A colony feeds around the clock and does not go away on its own.
Regular inspections by a licensed technician are the usual recommendation, at least once a year, because finding them early is what limits the damage.
Before we get there
What to do, and what not to
Do this now
- Leave it as you found it. Do not disturb the area any further.
- If you have broken open a mud tube or a piece of timber, leave it open and leave it alone.
- Take a clear photo of what you found and note where it is.
- Call or send us the photo so we can tell you the next step.
- In the meantime, fix obvious leaks and move stored timber and firewood away from the house.
Do not do this
- Do not spray them with anything.
- Do not break open more mud tubes or pull off more timber to see how far it goes.
- Do not rip out and throw away the damaged timber before it has been inspected.
- Do not assume they have gone because you can no longer see them. Disturbed termites move, and they are harder to find and treat once they do.
Our part
How we deal with it
Every home is different, so the detail comes with the quote. This is how a job like yours usually runs.
Inspect
A proper termite inspection covers the house, the subfloor and roof void where there is access, and the yard, fences and trees.
Report
We tell you what we found, where, and what conditions around the property are putting it at risk.
Plan
If termites are active, we explain the treatment options for your property and quote before any work starts.
Protect
We talk you through what ongoing protection and regular inspections look like for your home.
Asked a lot
Termites: common questions
Something else on your mind? Put it in the quote form and we will answer it when we reply.
I think I have found termites. What do I do first?
Stop, and leave everything as it is. Do not spray them and do not break anything else open. Take a photo, then call us or send it through the quote form. Disturbing them makes the job harder.
Are they termites or ants?
Termites are pale and soft bodied with a thick waist and straight antennae. Ants are darker with a narrow, pinched waist and bent antennae. Termites also avoid light, so you usually only see them when something is broken open. A photo is enough for us to tell you.
How often should a house be inspected for termites?
At least once a year is the usual recommendation in Australia, and more often for properties at higher risk. An inspection is also sensible before you buy a home.
My neighbour has termites. Should I be worried?
It is a good reason to book an inspection. Termites forage through the soil over a wide area and do not respect fence lines.
The rest of the line-up
Other pests
Got termites?
Better call Saulo. Send the details and a photo of what you are seeing and we will come back with a quote.