Landlords and homeowners beware! Termites can cause irreparable damage before you’re even aware they’re there, as proved by a horrific termite infestation in Sydney recently uncovered.
Located in the leafy coastal suburb of Gymea, the three-bedroom house was on a big block of land surrounded by trees – the perfect breeding ground for termites.
Having recently had tenants move out, the landlords decided to renovate. With a budget of approximately $200K, they began knocking through the walls in the kitchen, as they wanted to reconfigure it and the bathroom. However, when they removed the gyprock walls, they found that the whole area was badly infested with termites.
A Desperate Search Begins
As the tracking for termites started, they found signs of them throughout the house, including in the ceiling joists, roof trusses and more. The more they looked, the more they found!
Signs of termites include damp patches, papery or hollow sounding walls, tight-fitting doors or windows and tunnels in the wood, also called ‘galleries’. Termite ‘frass’ (droppings) are also a major indicator of drywood termites. Subterranean termites prefer to live in the soil underneath your house, patios, sheds, within trees and tree stumps making it hard to locate. If you suspect termites, it’s important to have an inspection by expert Timber Pest Professionals, such as the team at Flick.
A key reason termites can cause massive damage in a relatively short space of time is that these tiny creatures never sleep, chomping through wood or cellulose-based products 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
An Expensive Defeat
Initially holding out hope that they could fix the termite problem without bleeding too much money, the homeowners accepted defeat after they found that more than 50% of the house was affected, meaning that renovation was impossible and most of it would have to be rebuilt.
Having already spent $50K, they stopped the rebuild project and moved to demolish the house completely.
Avoid Your Own Termite Tragedy
Every year, termites cause millions of damages to Australian properties. However, there are many things you can do to prevent becoming a statistic.
The most important thing to do if you’re building a new home, or undertaking a substantial renovation, is to install pre-construction solutions which will aid in the prevention and detection of subterranean termites from the outset.
Flick offers a range of solutions for termites, from pre-construction solutions in the foundations to termite baits and chemical treatments.
A regular termite inspection is also essential for all homes under warranty and highly recommended for all other homes. Our experts will carry out a timber pest inspection at least annually in line with Australian Standards, to ensure you’re protected all year round. We’re skilled at spotting termites early and have a range of effective solutions which can save you costly damage in the long run.
Don’t let termites ruin your biggest investment. Click here to book a Termite Pest Inspection.
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