A homeowner’s worst nightmare is finding a termite nest in their home.
They can be present for years, silently destroying your house. There is very little worse than finding out that your castle in the suburbs has been slowly and systematically destroyed by these tiny, soft-bodied reapers of destruction.
Unless you make your home entirely out of steel and concrete, you are likely to have a visit from these cellulose-loving creatures at some stage. Having yearly inspections is a great way to make sure you catch them before they do too much damage to the home you have been nurturing and maintaining all these years.
Location Is Key!
We often get asked how often a homeowner should get a termite inspection done in South East Queensland, and the answer to that is, It depends on where you live.
Australia is a hot spot for termites, and our hot and humid climate is perfect for these tiny destructive insects. If you haven’t had termites before, a yearly inspection would catch a next while it can be dealt with easily, cheaply and effectively should they decide to move in.
If you live further North than the Tropic of Capricorn, you are living in a high-risk area and should go for six monthly inspections.
But the reality is that SEQ weather is perfect for termites, and they can breed rapidly in our hot, humid conditions. Yearly is a good gauge, but maybe nine or six months if you know neighbours have them.
If you haven’t had an inspection in the last twelve months, then getting one sooner rather than later will help set your mind at ease and will catch the critters before they destroy too much!
If you’ve had an attack before but were assured they were eradicated, you can go back to twelve monthly inspections. Just keep an eye out and call a professional if you see anything that looks termite-y again!
Studies show that the biggest risk factor is your location. One in Three Australian Houses will end up with termites sometime in their life. And the more neighbours you have, the more likely you are to get an attack.
Termite Barriers
The best form of attack is a good defence and when it comes to Termites a perimeter barrier is a great item to have in your defence arsenal. It’s best to have them installed at the time of building (and new codes mean that they are) but if you live in an older home, then you can install one anytime.
These barriers make it much harder for termites to get into your home’s structure, and also make it easier to see any action from them as they attempt to get in. Your home’s cellulose based structure is the termite’s food supply, and they will do anything they can to get at it. Installing barriers makes it harder for them and easier for you to see them!
If your neighbours mention that they have termites, it’s probably a good idea to give us a call. Termites can travel 50 – 80 meters away from the nest to find new sources of food. They may of course be coming from a neighbour that has no idea they have termites, so always mention any termite attack to all your neighbours.
Old untreated wood is a perfect breeding ground for termites, so termites may have made their home in an old tree stump of your neighbour and are busy travelling underground to chew on your house! They really are sneaky little sods.
These perimeter barriers are your best in detecting and stopping termites from getting into your home and destroying it.

Termites Love The Warm Weather
When things heat up a bit in the warmer months, termites become more active. They especially love humid weather too, so that’s why SEQ has so many termites, and termites are often out in force in SEQ in the summer months.
That said, don’t wait for summer for your inspection to fight them while they are at their prime and breeding rapidly. Get a winter inspection if you think you have them, and let’s get rid of them while they are at their weakest!
The key to not having termites eat your house away is to have regular inspections and a perimeter barrier.
If we can find them while they are being established, we can help you get rid of them sooner, before they have a chance to do any damage at all!
If the cash for a perimeter barrier is just not in your budget, we can come and treat the target area where you have found them and conduct an inspection to make sure we have got them all. Get us back for an inspection six months later, just to make sure, though. Once they are in your home, they can be tricky to get out!
Best Ways To Prevent Termites
Treatment is always a short-term solution. Prevention really is the best when it comes to termites. Where you find moisture and water are the places that termites love to call home.
Owners often find the beginning of nests when they get plumbing problems sorted or have retaining walls replaced. If this happens to you, call us. We can treat the nests and areas that they have moved into, but you have to be vigilant to keep them out.
Termites lay down a pheromone trail, and it stays for years in the ground. New termites will have no problems following that highway back to your home and continuing the process that their predecessors started. It may take six months, a year or even five years for termites to find their way in – but they will!
There are no hard and fast rules, but yearly inspections give you the best combination of regularity of inspections combined with the lack of time for the termites to get a proper hold on your home if they are found.
If you are in any doubt, give us a call. We know your area and what your likelihood of having termites are. We’ve probably visited homes on your street or close by in your suburb already, too!
Don’t take the risk. Call us today!