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TERMITE & PEST CONTROL SERVICES
Servicing all of Brisbane
Termite Inspections - Brisbane
Our reputation is built on over 30 years of providing termite solutions that work.
Your home is usually your biggest and most valuable asset. You insure it, you repair it and you improve it every year. But when was the last time you had a termite inspection for your home?
Brisbane homes are some of the highest-risk homes in Australia
In Brisbane, the chance that termites will attack your home is 12 times greater than your home being damaged by a house fire. More money is spent on house repairs from damage caused by termites than the damage caused by natural disasters every year. Yet typical home insurance does not cover you for termite damage.
What should you expect from our termite inspection
A successful termite management plan is a combination of regular termite inspections and the installation of a suitable termite management system to protect your home. An annual termite inspection is the cornerstone of any termite management plan. A proper termite inspection is designed to find any signs of termite activity, including evidence of new or old termite damage or workings. Just as important is being able to identify any conditions in your home and around your property that makes your home susceptible to termite attack.
Our termite inspections are broken down into 5 key areas:
1.
The Property: We always start with the property itself, as the land around the home will give us a good clue as to the pressure from termites that your home may be under. We even sneak a look over the fence at your neighbour’s property. We check all conductive conditions, such as trees with termite workings, including old trees, stumps, all timber-retaining walls, and timber fences, as well as garden beds, for possible termite workings or termite nests.
2.
The perimeter and exterior: Next, we check the perimeter and full exterior of buildings. Our termite inspector pays particular attention to the slab edge of slab homes and the weep holes of brick homes. Our termite inspectors are looking for potential termite entry points—whether those are cracks in slabs or walls or weep holes covered by paths or soil. Gardens that have built up over such entry points, or other structures like water tanks, could also be concealing potential termite entry points. Leaking pipes, air conditioners, and water tanks are especially prone to infestation—if there is an elevated moisture level or drainage issues, this will make your home more attractive to termites. We all get thirsty, after all.
3.
Internal areas where your home can be at risk from a termite attack:
Interior of structure (home): Each room will be fully inspected using a “tapper” to knock on wood to check for irregular sounds, a moisture meter and thermal cameras will be used to check suspect areas. The best tool we always use is our strong termite knowledge combined with a healthy dose of “good old experience.” We look for irregularities in timber work and walls. Wet areas such as the kitchen, bathroom, toilets and laundry need to be assessed with moisture meters to detect potential leaks.
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5.
Sub-floor: If your home has sub-floor areas and access to the sub-floor area is possible, our termite inspector will crawl to all accessible areas and inspect supporting structures, ant cappings, flooring timbers and any drainage issues. Often, items such as old books, old furniture, and firewood are stored in the sub-floor, encouraging termites to visit.
Roof void: Our termite inspector, if possible, will enter into the roof space and (where space allows) inspect from one end of the roof void to the other while inspecting all exposed timbers. Due to health and safety issues, if our termite inspector notes any safety concerns, the inspector must not be allowed to enter the roof void.
Our termite inspection is the cheapest health check your home will ever get
It is recommended that your home has a Termite Inspection (health check) "at least " every 12 months. 'Dollar-for-dollar' comparison, a termite inspection and protection plan are way cheaper than what you spend on your vehicle; look at these figures.
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An average home in Brisbane is now worth over $650,000. You can have that fully inspected for termites for around $255 per year. For a full five-year period, you can have it protected for approximately $2,500-$3,500 (average size home) and also ensure it against termite damage for $350 for the full five years.
Compare that to insuring your car, which for an average-priced family car valued at $30,000-$40,000 is about $700 per year—or $3,500 for five years. Most people would not drive a vehicle on the road uninsured, so why would you leave your biggest asset, your home, unprotected and uninsured?
All termite inspections include
thermal imaging
No additional charge
How long does a termite inspection take?
A full and comprehensive termite inspection can take some time. The size of the home and construction type, sub-floor/no sub-floor, and size of the property itself are factored into the inspection's total length. If your home is a standard three or four-bedroom house, as a rule of thumb, a termite inspection will take at least 1.5 to 2.5 hours—or even more if there are numerous issues to deal with.
What’s in a termite inspection report?
We call it our “homework for homeowners” report. Our termite inspectors look for faults in your home that may cause future issues, not only with termites but also with other problems such as leaking plumbing, wood rot, broken roofing, leaking roofs and garden issues. In our termite reports, we list all these issues and also our recommendations to fix the problems. The homeowner can rectify most of these issues.
A full termite report should state that the termite inspection has been carried out according to Australian Standard 3660.2.2000. The termite report will describe the property and what areas have been inspected. It will also list all the areas that cannot be examined (this usually is due to access issues). Our termite reports will list any termite activity and working (new and old) and record any current visual termite damage. The termite reports will note any present conditions that may encourage a termite attack, including such things as high levels of moisture, leaks, construction faults, gardens too high, structural timber in contact with soil, poor drainage or poor ventilation.
Our termite inspection report is a 21-page document. While a few of these pages are legal information, the most crucial information is the findings and recommendations. It is also important to talk to our termite inspector so that he or she can explain the results of the inspection and explain any further protective action that is required.
It is important to remember that the termite inspection carried out on your home is to the Australian Standard 3660.2.2000 and is a visual inspection (even when thermal imaging cameras are used). This means that if we suspect termites have entered your home but we are unable to see any activity, we may ask your permission to do an invasive inspection using a borer scope or to remove timbers. This action will only be carried out once approval is given. The termite report may include recommendations for further or more frequent inspections. Our report will recommend the need for any requirements to install a termite management system, such as a chemical soil treatment (Termite Barrier).
Buying a new home in Brisbane? You will need a pre-purchase termite inspection
A pre-purchase termite inspection, or, more accurately, a pre-purchase timber pest inspection, is an inspection that should be carried out on a property before it is purchased. It differs from a standard termite inspection report in that it specifically includes other timber pests such as borers, wood decay fungi and mould. Our report includes the costs involved in treating these pests, remedying any ongoing conditions and the related costs that may need to be factored into the home's purchase price. This information can then be taken into account during any negotiations on the sale of the house.
Check you Insurance Policy...... Is your house protected from termite damage?
Most household insurances do not cover termite damage. The reason for this is that the risk is too high for insurance companies. That’s because protecting a home from a termite attack requires a very proactive approach from the homeowner. It requires at the very least, yearly inspections (and in some situations, every six months) and an up to date active termite management plan. As insurance companies cannot guarantee that a homeowner will be that proactive with a termite protection plan, they choose not to insure for termite damage.
Fortunately, for homeowners that are proactive with their termite management plan, they can be eligible for full termite damage insurance cover when they choose to use our company to protect their home from termites.
How you can best protect your home from termites and gain insurance cover for termites
Brisbane is renowned for hosting many of the most active and damaging termite species. These species are capable of causing significant damage to a home in as little as six months. Because of this, every homeowner should have a proactive termite management plan in place to ensure the full protection of their home.
How to contact us
At Results Termite and Pest Control Services, we are committed to providing you service that goes beyond all the requirements set out in the Australian Standards 3660.2.2000. To schedule your termite inspection or to find out more about our full termite Services call our office today at tel: 07 3823 2500 and talk to one of our friendly staff or just send us a request for a quick quote by email and we will reply promptly to your request.