There is no single solution for treating termites. In fact, termite management is all about a process.
Termites are part of our natural environment and as our environment changes, so do the risks termites pose.
Home owners, property managers and tenants are often a major contributing factor to the environmental changes to a dwelling, and many times we unknowingly encourage termites to enter our properties, by what we do.
What should you do if you find termites?
- Do NOT disturb them. This means not spraying them with household fly sprays, touching the termites, their workings, tapping or any other form of disturbance.
For more information about termite inspections - click here...
- Contact your local branch of Amalgamated Pest Control to organise a full termite inspection on your property. Once we've inspected the property we can give you advice on your termite treatment options from there. Click here to contact your local branch...
What are some of my treatment options?
That will always depend you property and the surrounding environment. But broadly speaking, termite control methods include the following:
| Termite Nest Destruction |
If a nest can be found, this is the most effective way to deal with the immediate termite problem.
Typically if a nest is located it can be physically destroyed, but a chemical treatment prior to destroying the nest is often done to reduce the risk of the colony surviving. Some species of termites do have "multiple nests" which can present additional challenges.
Termite nests can also be destroyed indirectly by special termite baiting, dusting and chemical applications that transfer the toxins throughout the entire termite colony.
To learn a bit more about termite nest destruction click here...
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Termite Chemical Barriers
(Treated Zones)
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Termite chemical control through chemical soil treatment is one of the most common methods of control. Termite chemical barriers are popular since they can provide an ongoing level of protection for your property.
The concept is to treat the soil around the structure with an approved termiticide (termite chemical) so that there is no part of the structure that the termites can access without tunneling through the treated soil. If termites come in contact with the treated soil they are either repelled or killed before they can do any damage.
Things you should know about termite chemical soil treatments (termite barriers):
- The termite chemical (termiticide) needs to be installed correctly. This means that it needs to be placed in the correct type of soil and be placed around all parts of the building in contact with any soil. If this cannot be achieved your property will be completely protected and limitation may apply.
- Termite control chemicals do not last forever. They are broken down by soil components and exposure to sunlight. They need to be replenished and every few years a full re-treatment needs to occur.
- Sometimes there are different options available that are more/less effective in putting a good soil treatment around your property - particularly when there are existing concreted or paved pathways etc.
- You may be asked to assist with certain things (like moving hot water systems in preparation for the soil treatment).
- In some cases you will be asked to alter something or move something away from the structure to avoid termites finding a way of getting into the structure by avoiding the chemical soil treatment.
- You will need to have your property inspected at least every 12 months as a minimum to ensure the that the soil treatment is still working effectively. Learn more about termite inspections...
For more information on chemical soil treatments for termites click here...
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| Termite Physical Barriers |
An option that is commonly used during pre-construction (or adding a building extension) is the installation of a physical termite barrier system - such as Kordon, HomeGuard or TermSeal.
The system components vary depending on your needs, but are designed to be effective for the structural life of the building (currently 50 years).
The purpose of using physical termite barriers is the same as soil treatments - to stop termites from getting into the structure.
Physical barrier systems can also be useful in solving some other issues like protecting retaining walls and other structures.
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| Termite Monitoring & Termite Baiting |
The concept of termite monitoring is to place "stations" in the ground at strategic locations where termites are likely to find them during their foraging activities.
These "stations" can be anything from a timber stake to Hi-Tech station designed as part of baiting system.
Once the stations are placed in the soil, they need to be monitored. Depending on the situation, you may be able to monitor the stations yourself until termite activity is discovered.
Once termites attach a station - its time to decide what to do next. Many of these termite monitoring systems provide a "baiting" option built into the system.
The "Baiting" process involves placing a substitute food source in the station under attack. The food source is designed to be "tastier" than the original attractant in the station. The bait contains a toxicant that will not only affect the termites the consume the bait, but have a flow on affect for the entire termite colony.
Things that you should know about this type of termite treatment:
- These systems are very environmentally friendly
- They remove the termite pressure from structures on your property by eliminating termite colonies at their source.
- They require regular monitoring and servicing.
- They do not guarantee the a termite will not get into your home or other structures on your property - however there are thousands of properties throughout Australia that rely on these systems alone for the termite control.
- You must always incorporate regular termite inspections into your termite management plan. Learn more about termite inspections...
Click here to learn more about Termite Monitoring and Termite Baiting...
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