Invasive Termite Inspections – Don’t ignore the unknown
What Is an Invasive termite inspection?
In some situations, it’s impossible to ascertain whether or not there is termite activity within your property during a regular Building Inspection Service. This is mostly due to access related issues of the subfloors, roof voids and internals of walls. In these cases, Total Home Inspections will recommend that the potential buyer conduct further investigation into the property into areas that could not be accessed. An ‘Invasive Inspection’ is the phrase used when there is a requirement to gain access into areas of the home such as the roof void and subfloor when the access holes are less then 500mm x 400mm and a crawl space of less than 600mm x 600mm. A professional tradesman such as a carpenter would need to return to create access holes in the subfloor or remove roof sheeting or roof tiles.
The first inspection is a regular, visual termite inspection. These are usually carried out during the sale of a property and recommended annually thereafter. If during these regular inspections an area of concern arises, an invasive inspection is recommended by the Building Inspector.
All homeowners should have regular inspections of their building and termite inspections carried out as stated by your Pest Control Professional. Without these inspections, termites can make their way into a structure and cause a huge amount of damage. Most damage caused by termites could have been prevented if the home was inspected regularly.
What’s involved in the Invasive Pest Inspection?
The invasive inspection is when an area needs more attention by means of drilling or removing panelling etc. For instance, if termite activity is suspected in a wall cavity or subfloor, it may be necessary to cut into these areas to be able to properly assess them. Cutting or even drilling into a wall subfloor can provide a better understanding of what is going on without disturbing the termites too much.
The invasive inspection if done correctly will cause only minimal impact to surfaces. Once complete any minor repairs can be carried out by the homeowner. The aim of the invasive termite inspection is to locate possible termite nests and workings.
It’s also important not to damage the termite workings too much during the process. The workings are needed to insert poison into; this will bring the colony under control. Without the workings, it makes it very difficult to guarantee the entire colony has been eliminated.
As far as termites go it’s best to be proactive and be in control. The only way to stay ahead of these home destroyers is to have regular 12-month inspections. Always use a fully licensed timber pest inspection company to carry out invasive inspections and ask for a full report. The report will explain what has been found during the invasive inspection and will also highlight any problem areas around the building.
Read your report and carry out any maintenance work recommended by your technician. Good termite inspectors will point out any issues around the home. Fixing these problem areas will go a long way in helping to keep your home termite-free. Listen to your termite technician and take on board any advice they give you. At the end of the day, if you pay for an experts advice then it’s best to follow said advice.
