Summer Termite Warning!

Termite warnings have been arriving in droves lately. Through various pest controllers, newspapers, on the radio and television; we are beuing warned about the risk of termites on our most precious possession - our homes!

The latest comes from television show 'Today Tonight' airing a story titled, Super Termites Alert. Experts highlighted the risk of 'Super Termites' and how the variation between wet and warm weather conditions has provided the perfect breeding conditions for the pests. It is amazing to think that these small creatures can destroy an entire home within 6-12 months, without the homeowner realising until it is too late. In fact, termites destroy more homes than fires, floods or storms!

More and more homes will be at risk this summer, with some news sources saying major termite swarms are expected. Major issues have been sited in Geelong, The Dandenongs and the Yarra Ranges, but experts are saying this could be one of the worst termite seasons for Melbourne.

Termites cause their damage by building mud tubes through timber, stumps or piers to travel through. These tubes connect from the timber the are eating to their nest. They feed on the timber framing of your home, which means a swarm can end up eating the entire frame from the inside out. Everything may look seemingly normal from the inside, but looking behind the plaster could cause utter devastation.

You can avoid thousands of dollars in damage by booking annual termite inspections for your home, or if you're in a termite prone area, there are many preventative measures that can be taken to minimise the risk of termite infestation.

The best measure you can take is to termite-proof before building a new home. This greatly reduces the chances of your home being attacked.

Make sure you check to ensure that annual termite inspections have been carried our before purchasing a new property, or you could risk this!

Check out this fact sheet from the CSIRO.