Australia has a problem with termites, especially the Sydney area. You may be unaware of the fact that there are residential areas in Sydney that are termite-prone and if you have a house in such an area, then you need to be having inspections done on a regular basis. Another thing, if you are purchasing a new home in Sydney, then you need to make sure the previous owners were combating any problems with termites or you may be faced with an even larger problem.
The fact of the matter is that you need to have pest control in your home in Sydney no matter if you own a home or if you are paying rent. Here are 10 termite facts that you must know, especially if you think you don’t need to take any precautionary action.
1. Termites are a major problem in Australia. If you have a home that is termite infested then the damage they can cause can be financially crippling. It is proven that there are millions of dollars in losses ever year in Australia due to termite damage.
2. On an average, about 20% of Australian homes are damaged by termites. It is estimated there are 130,000 new attacks every year.
3. Losses due to termite damage are 5 times the losses suffered as a consequence of fire, flood and storms - on a combined basis.
4. The most notorious termite species present in Sydney are Coptotermes Acinaciformis (subterranean) and Kalotermes (dry wood termites). These termites are robust and known to attack both timber-framed as well as brick-and-steel-framed homes with equal gusto.
5. Termites are known to adapt and they tend to develop a taste for materials that are commonly used in the construction of homes.
6. One averaged sized termite colony can chew up a room’s floor in just 3 months - yes, termites have quite an irrepressible appetite.
7. Once termites get inside, they do not stop at chomping just building materials - they begin feasting on furniture, clothing material, footwear and even electrical wiring.
8. If you find termites in your home and attempt to destroy them or their colony, they will come back with more brute force. This is because they live in the soil and can easily dig their way to safer places inside the earth and come back again because they know their source of food is in your home. It is best you leave the job to experts.
9. You may already know that you can determine if you have termites by tapping on wood with the handle of a screwdriver. However, even the smallest of taps could actually break through the termite-chewed wood. This can disturb the termites and make it harder to treat them.
10. Not just anyone is qualified to treat termites, only those that have experience and have been trained in the specialized area of termites.
If you intend on purchasing a home in Sydney or if you already have one then you need to hire a pest control agency with termite specialists who knows these destructive creatures like the back of their hands. If you don’t then you are only placing your home and health in peril.