Termites are a serious pest that causes billions of dollars worth of damage around Queensland each year. Having a termite inspection on the Gold Coast can protect your home and property saving you potentially thousands of dollars in repair bills and lost assets.

How Termite Treatments Protect your Home

There are two main types of termite management systems commonly used to protect homes on the Gold Coast:

  1. Using a termite treatment barrier in the soil to prevent termites gaining access

This is done by digging a 50mm trench all the way around the outside of a building and around the foundations. The trench is then filled with soil that has been mixed with the chemical agent that is being used to treat the termites.

Two types of chemical are commonly used, one type is designed to repel termites and the other type attracts termites and then poisons them.

The most popular of the two types of treatments, the non repellant type uses a slow acting poison that allows the termites to take it back to the nesting areas where it affects and kills all the other termites it comes into contact with, so it is far more effective than the repellant type that can allow some termites to enter the building through any gaps.

The treated zone is not a physical barrier, as the termites would just go over, under or around a physical barrier by building a mud tube to travel in.

In order for the chemical barrier to be successful, it needs to be evenly applied around and under the buildings. Areas such as concrete paths and driveways can cause gaps in the treatment which may allow termites to pass through unaffected. Because of this often several types of termite treatment are used together to ensure your property has an effective overall treatment strategy in place.

How long soil barrier termite treatments last?

The length of time a soil treatment will last depends on the type of chemical used, the soil type and the general climatic conditions in the area. Your termite treatment specialist will be able to advise you on the exact length of time you will be protected, but under normal conditions, it’s expected to be five to eight years.

Some situations allow a reticulation system to be installed where a series of small, flexible pipes are placed in the ground around the property to allow for very quick and regular retreatments that cause a minimum amount of ground disturbance and are a very cost-effective long term termite treatment option.

The modern chemicals used to treat termites have an environmental friendly profile that only target termite’s, so are safe for children and pets.

Because some areas do not allow for chemical barrier treatments, other options need to be considered such as baiting.

  1. Using a baiting system to eliminate termites from buildings

Termite baiting systems are often used in conjunction with the chemical barrier system as the chemicals are very similar. They both attract termites and are slow acting, allowing the poison to be taken back to the colony where the rest of the termites are effectively eradicated.

Termite inspections on the Gold Coast are the best and most cost effective ways to protect your home and property.