The Undercover Enemies

Termites cause billions of dollars in damage each year. They primarily feed on wood, but also damage paper, books, insulation, and even swimming pool liners and filtration systems.

Here some tips on how to determine your house had an undercover enemies, the termites.

1. Look for mud-covered trails that look like a tube from termites nests to food sources such as verandah posts, the wood or sleeper retaining walls inside your house. The mud tubes are typically about the diameter of a pencil, but sometimes can be thicker.

2. Check for sign of termite activity such as hollows-sounding or springy floors. Termites are cryptic creatures and infestations can go undetected for years, floor coverings, insulation, hidden behind walls and other obstructions.

3. Try to listen inside the wooden wall or any wood structure. When termite feed inside wood, they are well entrenched with it that it may be possible to hear them, especially late night when there is less ambient noise.

4. Try to make sure your house sub-floor area is properly ventilated and that any air vents are free from obstruction.

5. Do not build soil up against the house or around timber structures. Raised soil can block ventilation holes allowing termites to find a safe passage to the floors, beams or other internal timberwork.

6. If you find or suspect you have active termites in your house, call an expert to terminate them. Do not disturb them or else the may flee, making their nest difficult to find.

Ridding a home of termites requires special skills. A professional knowledge of building construction is needed to identify the critical areas where termites are likely to enter. The professional will use gallons of a liquid pesticide injected into the ground alongside the foundation, beneath concrete slabs, and within foundation walls.