A Termite Inspection – What Does It Cover?

If you are wondering about a termite inspection – what does it cover?  You would be well advised to carefully read the following article.

Termites eat the wooden structure of your house which will keep many thousands possibly even millions of termites nesting in close proximity well fed for a lengthy period of time. Unfortunately, this can and will cause severe structural damage to your home and could in fact completely destroy it and that is no exaggeration. So, requesting the services of a Termite inspection specialist to carry out a full termite inspection may be a very smart move on your part.  A properly designed and implemented termite barrier is an absolute must in the majority of cases we come across in our inspections.

What can you expect during a termite treatment inspection?

In simple terms a termite treatment is a visual inspection of all accessible areas of your property to determine if there is any activity from timber destroying bugs or organisms. The inspection should take in the whole building, inside and out and should include any basements and any areas of crawlspace. The garden landscape including close by trees, wooden fences and buildings such as sheds etc. should all be covered in the full termite inspection. The whole procedure should only take approximately 45 minutes, but it could save you thousands of dollars.

FACT:- Did you realise that your house insurance policy will NOT cover you against termite damage?

Carrying out a termite inspection in the attic of a house might seem a bit unnecessary considering termites are usually found underground and this will go a long way to ensuring adequate termite protection. This is because along with looking for termite activity the inspector is also looking for evidence of any other pests such as carpenter ants and beetles which will also destroy the wood in and around a property. If Dry-wood termites are a known threat in your area the inspector will be extra vigilant, looking for dry-wood termite pellets (faecal matter) which can usually be located on surfaces and stuck in spiders webs.

Be aware – don’t be fooled into thinking because you live in an area where the temperatures can drop. Living in a sub tropical climate like the Sunshine Coast or Brisbane Qld is the ideal conditions for termite colonies to thrive and multiply. In addition, termites don’t advertise the fact that they are invading and eating the framework of your home. These tiny home wreckers are very secretive, moving in silence through underground tunnels and inside the wood. It is not unknown for them to completely demolished much of the timber from the inside long before you have any idea that there is potentially a problem. For this reason if your area is prone to termite infestations possibly spending a few dollars each year to have a full termite inspection carried out periodically would be money well spent.

You May Require A Termite Barrier

Having said that, vigilance on your part is also invaluable, it is very unlikely that you will come across termites wandering round your basement but, if you are very vigilant you might find subtle signs of their presence. Termite droppings are often the first clue. These look similar to grains of sand or sawdust scattered around. They vary in colour from brown to beige (depending on the type of wood the termites have eaten!) You may of course discover more evidence of direct timber damage in the form of a structure resembling a hollow beehive, or you may find that when you knock on wooden posts they sound hollow.

Regardless of whether you are sure you have a flying termites, termite problem and require termite protection, think you may have a termite problem or are concerned that other homes in your neighbourhood have termite problems getting a full termite inspection carried out is the only way to be certain. A qualified termite inspection specialist should provide you will a full detailed report of your termite problem and a clear treatment plan to eradicate them.

More information can be found here https://www.pestcontrol.org.au/termite-control.html

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We recently came across the following article we felt would offer value to our readers.  Enjoy the read

Home Pest Control: Tips to Save the Most Money

When people think of home pest control they usually don’t give it a thought until they are actually either disturbed during the night by scurrying possums or rats in the roof void and ceiling or perhaps seen evidence of where the pest has been and this could either be through droppings or noticing other damage in woodwork which is mainly in a lot of the time by termites.

This is enough to have the property owner reaching for the phone to get their local pest control technician to come quickly to get rid of these pests fast.

Why do home and property owners leave it until there is a problem before they seek a pest control advice? What many people don’t realize is by having regular pest control inspections and treatments this is the answer to saving money as potential problems can be treated early saving money before damage is done.

It is usually recommended that as part of general home and property maintenance you have a termite inspection once per year. This may be every six months if you have termites in your neighborhood it is worth the cost of an inspection to know if termites have decided to put your home on their menu to then stop them in their tracks.

Commercial properties are different again in the number of visits that are required by various health authorities in your country could see a pest control manager every month. This is why it pays to have free advice with your pest technician to see how many visits would be required.

The best way to save money is by stepping up your housekeeping so there is no food source for pests. This is done by:

• Ensuring that no plates and dishes are left on the sink – they need to either be washed or placed in the dishwasher
• Wipe down all bench tops
• Keep sauce bottles top wiped
• Ensure all packet items are stored in sealed containers
• Fix dripping taps – most pests are attracted to both food sources and water that is why a kitchen is an easy target for them
• Sweep floors and keep carpets vacuumed
• Get rid of any left over pet food – don’t leave this out overnight

Ask for advice from the pest manager prior to his inspection especially when treating your property for fleas or bed bugs. With fleas his advice maybe to cut lawns and hot wash your and your pets bedding along with treating the animal with a flea shampoo.

By being guided to what advice the pest control specialist gives you both prior and after the treatments will save the most amount of money as many pests other than termites will respond to vigilant housekeeping principles and will make your home less desirable for them to visit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6917203

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At times we run across articles online which we feel would be valuable for our readers to learn from.  We only republish articles whose content we believe is accurate, non biased and is in the publics best interest.  We hope you find the following article from SA Health to be helpful to your needs and increase you knowledge of bed bugs prevention and treatment methods.

 

“Bed bugs – prevention and treatment

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius or Cimex hemipterus) are oval, wingless insects that are rusty brown in colour and around 4 to 5 mm long when fully grown, which allows them to hide in narrow cracks and crevices.

They are blood feeding insects that prefer to bite humans but will also feed on other warm blooded animals. As their name suggests, bed bugs generally feed at night when people are in bed.

Although there are two species of bed bugs that will feed on humans, C. hemipterus, is generally confined to tropical areas of Australia.

Information includes:

• • Living environments
  • Signs and symptoms
  • Confirming an infestation
  • Transmitting of diseases
  • Control measures
  • Further information

Living environments

Bed bugs will hide (and lay eggs) in a variety of household objects close to where humans sleep such as mattresses, bed frames, furniture, behind skirting boards, loose wallpaper and floorboards, and in cracks and crevices of walls.

Bed bugs emerge at night to feed and then return to their hiding spot for the day to digest the blood meal.

Bed bugs will come out to feed during the day if they are particularly hungry.

Bed bug populations have grown world-wide, possibly due to changes in pesticide use, a lack of knowledge of bed bugs in the pest control industry, the second-hand furniture trade and increased international travel.

Increasing numbers of bed bug infestations have been reported in Australia, often in accommodation venues such as backpackers’ hostels and motels.

Bed bugs can be transported long distances in the seams of clothing, luggage, bedding and furniture.

Adult bugs are able to survive more than a year without a blood meal.

Signs and symptoms

Bed bugs often make their presence known through continuous biting and irritation.

Some people do not react to bed bug bites, while others show a delayed response (up to nine days) or an immediate response with great discomfort and loss of sleep. Intense itching of the bites can result in a secondary skin infection in severe cases.

Bed bugs will usually bite on the arms and shoulders (or any exposed, bare skin surface) which may result in small areas of swelling and itching of the skin.

Heavy bed bug infestations are often associated with a distinctive sickly sweet smell and blood spotting may be evident on mattresses and/or bedding and nearby furniture.Confirming an infestation

An infestation of bed bugs can be confirmed through the microscopic identification of collected specimens including live or dead adults, nymphs and eggs.

Transmitting of diseases

While bed bugs can be quite irritating, they are not known to transmit disease.

Control measures

Infested areas including all possible hiding places should be treated with an appropriate insecticide.

There are a variety of products available for bed bug treatment (usually synthetic pyrethroids) but if you are unsure about effective treatment or if the infestation is heavy, it is advisable to contact a pest control company.

• • Look thoroughly in the areas they like to hide, including removing mattresses from bed frames.
  • Repeat application of a treatment product may be necessary, depending on the chemical used and the success of the original application.
  • Thoroughly vacuum the infested area including the mattress and place the contents of the vacuum cleaner bag in a sealed plastic bag for disposal.
  • Clothes and bedding suspected of being infested should be washed in hot water (at least 60^oC) and/or heated ironing or drying.
  • Mattresses can be difficult to treat effectively and may require specialised advice from a pest control company.
  • Reduce the number of hiding spots available to bed bugs by eliminating cracks and crevices.

Bed bugs can often be difficult to eradicate because their hiding spots are hard to find or inaccessible.

Link to full article –>>  Click here”

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5 Things Exterminators Check During Termite Inspections

So, you're thinking about calling an exterminator to address those nagging worries you have about termites eating your house out from under you. Maybe you think you hear the sound of chewing in your walls (that's probably your imagination), or you just discovered a winged ant in your basement and fear the worst. After all, termites are destructive pests. They're found in 49 of the 50 states (Alaska has been spared the scourge), and cause an estimated $50 billion in damage to buildings and dwellings every year.

Termites are scary because they can cause extensive damage before you ever realize you have a pest problem. They eat wood from the inside out, so their presence is hard to detect unless you know what to look for. Everything will look solid and sturdy until your porch starts listing to the left or collapses completely. Well, it's not quite that bad. Termites actually work pretty slowly, especially when you consider that some nests can harbor hundreds of thousands of hungry mouths to feed.

5. Evidence of Swarmers

Although there are three major varieties of termites in the U.S., the most prevalent are subterranean termites, so we'll be discussing them in detail. Termites start new colonies from existing nests. Here's how it works: Established, successful termite colonies start producing winged, sexually mature adults called alates after a few years. The alates fly off to create their own nests during the spring when the temperature is mild and the air is humid and relatively still. Nests release all their alateat one time in swarms that disperse quickly. If you detect the presence of multiple winged termites inside your house, there's a good chance there's a termite nest nearby using the wood in your home as a food source. Check your window sills. Alates will try to get outside, so you may find them clustered around closed windows or doors.

Don't panic yet. Some ants start new colonies in a similar manner, so there's a chance you left the window open and a few winged ants flew in by mistake. They look similar to winged termites, but there are three big differences:

•     A termite's rear wings (they have two sets) are the same length as their front wings. In flying ants, the rear wings are smaller than the front wings.
•     Termites have wide waists, but ants have wasp waist indentations below their second set of wings.
•     Termites have straight, beaded antennae, where ants have antennae with elbows and jointed bends.

If you have winged termites inside your house, it's one big indicator that you have a problem. Call an exterminator.

4. Mud Tubes

Another obvious indication that will alert an exterminator to a termite problem is the presence of mud tubes. You may find them along your foundation, near your pipes, in your crawlspace, in your attic or around other access points to your home. Also called shelter tubes, mud tubes are like covered highways termites use to traverse open, exposed spaces like concrete footers. They can't go through these obstacles, so they build highways over or around them.

Mud tubes are made of soil, wood cellulose and other particulate matter. Termites dehydrate quickly, so they need the protection of an enclosed environment to maintain the humidity levels they need to survive. The tubes also protect them from predators. Mud tubes are about the thickness of a drinking straw or pencil and look like encrusted, dried dirt. They can be squiggly or straight. If you see a mud tube and don't know if it's from an old termite infestation or not, remove a small section, leaving the two ends of the tube undisturbed. If the breach seals back up in a few days, termites are currently active around your property.

3. Mud in Construction Joints

Termites are studious little builders, sealing small gaps with dirt in order to make themselves more comfortable. Even if you don't detect tubes around your property, if you see crusted dirt in what used to be small holes or cracks in your sheetrock or concrete, or mud crammed into construction joints, it may be the work of diligent termites.

Read Full Article Here: 5 Things Exterminators Check During Termite Inspections