- What is a termite?
If you are looking to buy a house on the Gold Coast you would be best to get to know a little bit about termites. The old saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” definitely applies to the termite. Living in colonies of up to one million they live in a similar social network to the Bee, with a Queen, workers, soldiers, and reproductive termites whose role is the become the new Kings and Queens and start new colonies. There are two types of termites on the Gold Coast.
- Subterranean Termites – live in a nest structure that must be connected to soil for moisture.
- Drywood Termites – live in galleries within timber with no connection to soil.
Commonly referred to as White Ants they actually aren’t ants at all and in fact are more closely related to the cockroach – lucky them!
- Gold Coast termite infestations
The team at Top Dog Pest Control have some horror stories about termite infestations on the Gold Coast with one in three homes under threat. In QLD there are no laws governing the control of termites so if you have termites on your property it is your responsibility to look after the problem. With houses on canals being built on old mangroves that were homes to termites, they have had to find new places to live and there is no place better than a nice warm house. Getting a pre purchase termite inspection is essential and if needed a termite barrier can be installed on your property.
- Different barriers
There are two types of termite barriers that can be installed on your property as well as different baiting systems.
- Chemical Barrier – place around the outside of your home the chemical barrier stops termites from entering your property. Not only does it protect your home but when the termites encounter the barrier, they then take the chemical back to the nest with them and spread the chemical throughout the colony. Whilst deadly to termites the chemical is harmless to humans, pets, and other animals.
- Physical Barrier
For new home builds there is an option of a physical chemical treated plastic sheeting termite barrier to be laid around the ground and foundations of your property. This forms a physical barrier that the termites can’t penetrate.
- Baiting Systems – There a couple options for baiting systems to be installed around your property with wood that attracts the termites to the bait and stops termites from attacking your home whilst also infecting the colony in a similar way to the chemical termite barrier. A baiting system can be expensive as it requires constant monitoring. Speak to the team at Top Dog Pest Control for the best advice for Termite Barriers on the Gold Coast.
- An absolute must!
There is very little doubt that you should have a Termite expert inspect your home on a regular basis. Termites can move quickly and unless you are on top of things it can go bad for you very quickly. A termite barrier is an absolute must on The Gold Coast and the team at Top Dog Pest control are the best in the business. No job is too small or big for Top Dog so don’t wait until it’s too late.
