Unfortunately, termites can live inside or on your property for a long time before they make their presence known which is why having a termite barrier installed in Gold Coast properties is a sound investment. Regardless whether you have subterranean termites living underground on your property or drywood termites burrowing deep into the timbers of your home, they can be very hard to detect. Having a regular pest inspection is vital on the Gold Coast.
Some of the main signs you may have termite activity in or around your home are:
- Drooping, damaged or discoloured drywall
- Small pinpoint holes in painted surfaces or drywall
- Paint that has bubbled, peeled or looks like it’s water damaged
- Woodwork and timbers that have a hollow sound when tapped
- Floor boards that are buckled or bent
- Floor boards or timbers that squeak
- Loose tiles because of moisture brought in by termites
- Woodwork that crumbles or flakes
- Misaligned door or window frames
- Sticky doors or windows
- Cupboards that no longer shut properly and shelves that bow or twist
- Patterns like mazes in timber, furniture, walls or floor boards
- Piles of what look like coffee grains or pepper, which are in fact drywood termite droppings under the areas they are living
- Piles of wings left when the termites are swarming
- Visible mud tubes crossing concrete and over areas where termites can’t burrow
- Any visible flying termites on your property or any adjoining property
Termite Swarmers
Usually once and sometimes twice a year a termite colony will send out mature termites to start new colonies. Once they have reached a suitable site they shed their wings and start to burrow into any timber they can find,often leaving the tell tale signs of plies if discarded wings.
Mud tubes
Subterranean termites need to keep moist so build mud tubes to travel whenever they are not inside the protection of the timbers the live and feed on. The mud tubes also protect them from predators.
Drywood termite signs
Drywood termites live inside the wood in trees and the timbers they find in your home. As they feed they create a maze of tunnels within furniture and the timbers of your home. They will feed until all the timber is destroyed and then move to another food source.
Often termites go undetected until their destruction becomes obvious. Sometimes there are piles of termite droppings to be seen in corners and on ledges. Other signs include sagging floors and weakened wood work
Subterranean termite signs
Subterranean termites build their colonies underground and travel from there to feed and bring food back to the colony. Having a termite barrier installed in Gold Coast properties is one of the most effective ways of stopping them. Other options include bait traps where they take the poison bait back to the colony. The termites enter building’s through cracks or untreated timbers. Often their mud tunnels can be seen on concrete foundations or walls
If you see any signs of termites or it has not been inspected for a while, call your local pest inspection service and have bait traps and a termite barrier installed on your Gold Coast property as soon as possible to prevent major and expensive damage to your property.
