Detecting termites is hard because they like to hide

Termites are little white, soft-bodied weaklings. Termites avoid light and rarely come out into the open. Termite attack can escape anyone’s notice for a very long time, which can be horribly expensive, not to mention dangerous.  A lot of houses that collapse during hurricanes or earthquakes really break due to weakening by termites.

So, how are termites in houses detected?

1. Dumb Luck. Often termites are detected . . . .

• when the vacuum cleaner leaves a dent in the skirting board
• when someone makes a dent in the floor
• when the door falls off
• when termites fly (in huge numbers) inside the house

• 

  when you notice strange bits of mud in the plasterwork

• when the light/fan in the toilet/laundry won’t turn off
• when the wood in the window frames looks mottled through the varnish
• when you notice strange bubbles in the paint
• when you lie awake at night and wonder what those quiet noises might be

2. When Other Trades are . . . .

• repairing a springy floor
• fixing leaky plumbing

• 

  working in the garden

• putting in new cupboards
• installing your home theatre

3. Regular Inspections . . . .

• when you look under the floor and see tell tale shelter tubes
• when you look near all the wet areas and notice bubbled or uneven surfaces
• when you crawl around in the roof space and the wood seems hollow
• when you look at all those wings you keep vacuuming away . .
• when you hire a competent someone to do the looking for you

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