‘White ants’, also known as termites, are a serious pest here in Australia. They have the capacity to create thousands of dollars’ worth of damage in a matter of weeks by destroying an entire roof structure in as little as three months.
You may not know this but termites and the damage they cause are not covered by your home insurance as by having regular termite inspections every 12 months can prevent the damage that termites leave behind.
Did you know that termites/white ants are not actually ants; they are related to the cockroach species. People associate the termites/white ants with ants as they have a similar body shape.
White ants eat through wood from the inside out so a colony of white ants can be busy at work without being seen.
There are things you can do to prevent white ants from eating your most valuable possession. You can make your home less inviting as white ants are fussy when it comes to food and their environment they live in. You can:
• Keep the area under your home and your roof space well ventilated as white ants like dampness and humidity;
• Repair leaks quickly – as white ants like to have a source of water.
• If you use timber for structures or retaining walls in your garden, ensure you choose white ant resistant timbers, or timber that has been treated to deter white ants.
The CSIRO website suggests having an annual inspection and increasing that to twice a year if you live in a warm climate area in Australia.
Dennis from Pestfree stated when white ants damage a home the financial cost can be devastating. Having regular termite inspections could minimize the devastation that could run in to the thousands of dollars repair bill.
When Dennis speaks to customers he educates them on how termites works also suggest white ant prevention strategies, and treat any infestations early is an inexpensive way to protect your home from white ants.
If you find that you have Termites/white ants please call PestFree on 1800 15 30 10 or head to our website https://pestfreesydney.com.au/ to arrange a time for one of our trusty technicians to come out and treat any affected areas.