Termites and what to look out for

Before you buy a new home its always important to get yourself a Timber Pest and Building Inspection.

Termites love dark damp places with plenty of food sources around, aka Timber! A subfloor of a house or house on stumps is the perfect environment for them, especially when its damp or there's a leak coming from your bathroom or kitchen area.

They like to go for your soft woods first, well not always first, but they like them better because they are easier to chew. Personally I prefer soft lollies to hard boiled ones because I can get through a packet much quicker, same thing! They like your pines, these would be you're skirting boards, architraves, windows, stud walls and floor boards. Don't get me wrong they love your hard woods to.

Some signs to look out for when walking through your home, check that there is no bouncing to the floor, jump up and down on the centre of a room and see if it feels solid, if it bounces a fair bit this could be a sign that maybe your bearers or floor joist could be eaten out, or it needs re-stumping. Get under there and check it out!

Also check out your skirting boards, architraves and window timbers. Lightly run your hands over the timbers and squeeze the timber face with your fingers. If it's soft in places or brittle grab yourself a stanley knife and slice a small slit in the timber, pry it open a little bit with your knife and use a touch to look in there. If it looks hollow with bits of dirt in there, and even better the solider termites poke their heads out at you BINGO! You have won yourself termites!

Matt Barr

Termite Reports Plus.