Intelligent Termite Protection

Intelligent Termite Protection


Termite protection is a "must" in Australia if you want to protect your existing home, and if you're purchasing a new home, you really can't afford not to have a termite inspection undertaken. Professional termite services can usually inspect your home, advise you on prevention, treat existing infestations and apply the latest products to prevent future infestations.

If you want to ensure you have the best possible termite protection in place it pays to know the enemy. You might be surprised to learn that although termites are often called "white ants" they're not ants at all -- they're well evolved and rather intelligent relatives of the cockroach. They're capable of building underground tunnels that radiate out from their nest to a one hundred metre radius. They're also particularly social insects that engage in grooming and caring for one another.

Research on the lifestyle and social behaviour of termites in recent years has not only led to some fascinating scientific discoveries, it's led to more effective methods of termite protection becoming available to home owners.

In years gone by, repelling termites with chemicals they found unpleasant was considered the best means of preventing attack -- but these clever little creatures have millions of years of evolutionary intelligence on their side. They're smart enough to avoid the deadly chemicals and find an alternative entry. Attacking the problem from a different angle is a relatively new method of termite termination -- Termidor barrier protection. Many professional termite services are now opting for this intelligent new solution.

The Termidor product is not a repellent at all. It's used as a barrier defence. Termites cannot detect its presence so rather than avoiding it, they walk through it -- coming into contact with the substance that will not only kill them within days, but will bind to their body. The substance can then be transported throughout the termite tunnels and to the termite nest. It can also be transferred to uninfected termites upon touch. Because they cannot detect the substance, they're unable to identify the cause of their demise and take steps to avoid it.

They might be tiny but these prehistoric timber tasters are a major problem in suburban areas, particularly coastal zones with sandy soils and well treed suburbs. They go to great lengths to stay out of sight, tunnelling beneath the ground and eating timber from the inside, leaving a veneer that appears quite normal. Those comic movies scenes where characters step onto solid looking floorboards only to fall through them are really no joke at all.

Home insurance policies don't cover termite damage and if you choose not to use termite services and you end up purchasing a termite damaged home, the cost of repair will be yours.

Could you afford to spend $7000 to repair termite damage? According to the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects, that's the average repair bill for a termite damaged home. Severe damage could cost ten times that amount to repair.

The downside is that the Termidor termite protection isn't available on a do-it-yourself basis. Professional termite services who offer the Termidor product must be trained to apply it safely and for maximum effect. The product can also be more expensive than older treatment methods but it can protect your home from termites for 8 years.

We like to think we have the evolutionary advantage over insects but if you want to outwit termites, you're going to need to use your intelligence when it comes to termite protection!

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