Are Termites Having a Party at Your House?

Unwanted House Guests

You may wonder why several of our blog posts deal with termites. It is because, in our opinion, termites are probably the most financially threatening pest that we have in Australia. While termites do not pose the health risks of other pests like rodents, cockroaches, or mosquitoes, they can cause significant financial damage. They are also a pervasive problem. At any one time, approximately 1 in 3 properties in Australia experience a termite infestation. There are over 40 species of destructive termites that are either native to Australia or have been introduced to Australia. Depending on the species, they can do massive damage in a relatively short period of time. Much of this damage can be hidden because of where termites live and how they destroy wooden surfaces. In other words, termites are a nasty, nuisance pest.

Costly Pest Problem

Estimates are that termites cause at least $100 million in property damage each year, for a homeowner it could be between $5 – $10k if identified early, but it could be a much higher number depending on the circumstances. While no type of property damage is enviable, termite damage is particularly frustrating because the majority of homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover termite treatments or repairs for termite damage. In other words, homeowners are responsible for all of the costs associated with fixing termite damage. This is one of the reasons that the exact financial cost of termite damage can be hard to calculate; many homeowners resort to DIY or small contractor repairs for termite damage, meaning those repairs may not even be mentioned in estimates of repair costs.

Regular Prevention is a must!

Are termites having a party at your house? You may not even know the answer to that question. Unlike most unruly party guests, termites can be partying without you even realising it. That is why we suggest regular termite inspections to see if there are any signs of termite infestation. While unchecked termite invasions can cause serious structural damages in a short period of time, early detection of these invasions can greatly reduce the damage that they do and prevent major structural problems.

Termite swarms, piles of wings, termite droppings, banging sounds, discoloured or drooping drywall, hollow-sounding wood, peeling paint, buckling wood, loose tiles, and squeaky floorboards are all signs of potential termite infestations. However, many of these can be difficult for the DIY handyman to diagnose.

At Flick Pest Control, we recommend regular professional termite inspections to ensure that termites have not invaded and to quickly treat the problem if they have! Our Constant Home Protection plans provide you with peace of mind that your most valuable asset is protected. Reduce the likelihood of a termite infestation with the Termite package which includes a Termite Pest Inspection.