Home Inspection for Termites
The older I get, the more problem I have psyched myself up to inspect my home.
And from plenty of experiences, I know how badly the cost of termites damage can be; why not mine?
It’s a problem easily ignored, hoping everything will be OK. Fingers crossed of course. Maybe you feel the same?
I was on a phone call to Cheryl and Chris from suburban Melbourne, who had had termites in their garden sleepers (now removed).
The nest is still out there somewhere so they are relying on enticing them into TermiTraps (an effective termite treatment) which are much easier to bait. I suggested they should recognise there was a continual threat until that happened.
During the wait, regular, careful inspections of their home is essential. It is even possible termites are already in the house but haven’t done enough damage to be noticeable yet.
They told me they were pensioners, not capable of doing the underfloor or roof void inspection themselves and couldn’t afford a professional, so I asked Cheryl if she could cook a roast dinner.
Sure could, why?
“Invite your son and family over for a baked dinner which will be served soon after he comes down from the roof void. Get him to download our How to Guide with its stuff on what to look for and where to look.” I said.
“The good thing is, you’ve told me you have suspended timber floors with access all the way under, so he will easily see if there are any termite tunnels up the foundations. Even so, the sneakiness of termites means the interior mouldings, door and window frames need to be tapped for that hollow sound and looked at for unevenness on the surface.
“As for the timbers in the roof void, if it is insulated or there is sarking, he won’t be able to see everything… but neither would a professional.
“For additional incentive,” I said, ” get word to your grandkids that big helpings of Nanna’s apple crumble and a couple of litres of hot runny custard is on offer. Works for my grandkids”.
The whole point of relating this story is to reinforce the value of an annual termite inspection no matter who’s doing the looking.
No one can make termites find TermiTraps and, they certainly can’t be expected to stop eating house frames just because some TermiTraps were recently placed around the house. If the first time you know termites are there is when timbers fail, you’ll wish someone had made the effort to take a look earlier.
A younger family member will probably do it for you for love…. if asked. But there’s always the baked dinner . . .
Ion
The Termite Bloke
