You may have heard that termites can cause costly damage to many homes each year. And when you purchased your house, you likely had a termite inspection to make sure that it’s termite-free and not a high-risk investment.
While you may think that an annual termite inspection isn’t necessary, you’ll be surprised to know that it’s generally recommended by many. That’s because termite infestations can go unnoticed for months or even years, which is long enough for a termite colony to do major damage to a house.
By the time you discover that there’s a termite infestation on the premises, your home may have sustained structural damages and most of the time, it can be costly. On top of that, it can be stressful if you’ve never dealt with termites before.
In this article, we discuss the importance of having regular termite inspection for your home along with what you can expect during the inspection and extermination.
Why is termite inspection important?
Termites are responsible for causing severe and costly structural damage to properties. In Singapore, the cost of treating and repairing termite damage is estimated between $200 and $2,500 per item like your bedside table, bed frames, door frames, flooring, etc. If a termite infestation is left untreated, the costs may even be higher than the original value of your home.
Assuming that you’re planning to buy a house, getting a termite inspection for a particular property will allow you to understand the actual condition of the property. Additionally, it’ll help ensure that the seller is aware of his/her property’s condition so that they can remedy the situation.
If you already own a house, a regular termite inspection on your premises can prevent termites from eating their way into your house. Thus, minimising the amount of damage they can do to your house. Also, you can remedy your property as soon as you’re aware so that you can make it saleable to other potential buyers.
How can I prepare for a termite inspection?
So, you’ve discovered that there are termites on the premises, and you’ve scheduled a termite inspection for your home. It won’t be difficult for you to prepare your home for an inspection, but here’s how you can make the inspection go smoothly.
Rearrange your things
Anything you store under the kitchen or bathroom sinks will need to be moved to another area so that termite exterminators can inspect your water sources for termite activity. The same goes for your house walls.
Provide easy access to the ceiling
Anything blocking the entrance to the ceiling should be cleared away before the termite exterminator’s visit. Also, the exterminator may need to get into the ceiling repeatedly if there’s a termite infestation in your ceiling, so keep the entryway clear.
Manage your landscaping
If you have plants in or around your house, trim them especially the bushes or ground cover that conceal exterior walls or the foundation. That way, the termite exterminator can inspect your home grounds with ease.
What happens during termite inspection and extermination?
During the inspection, you can expect the termite exterminator to spend some time thoroughly going over your home. They will inspect the interior and exterior of your house, looking for visible signs of a termite infestation such as termite droppings, discarded or broken wings, mud tubes, and damaged wood.
The termite exterminator will also inspect your house walls, windows, door frames, wooden furnishings, and baseboards. You will need to grant access to every area of your home, especially your bathrooms and kitchen because subterranean termites often use places where the plumbing penetrates the slab to gain access to your home.
Outside your house, the termite exterminator will inspect the walls and examine the grounds or foundation of your home for mud tubes. That way, they can detect the termite trails and perhaps follow them to the nest.
Once the termite inspection is complete, the house termite exterminator will provide recommendations on the termite treatments available. Should there be no sign of a termite infestation, you may be advised to be proactive in preventing termite infestation.
At PestBusters, we offer complete solutions to termite-proof your house as well as the most effective methods to exterminate termite colonies. Our inspection methods include:
- Inspection – Visual inspection or Termatrac Detection Radar to detect active infestation on the walls, cracks, crevices, and any possible entry points.
- Visual inspection – Inspect for mud trails or possible damages to wooden structures.
- Microwave inspection – Use of a microwave to detect termite movement beneath parquet flooring or behind built-in furniture.
To exterminate termites from your homes, our pest control professionals employ the following strategies:
- Spot treatment whereby we only treat the infested area. After one week, we’ll return for a follow-up. If there’s an active infestation, we’ll continue the treatment until there’s no active infestation. However, there’s no guarantee to this as the dusting may not be effective if there’s a severe termite infestation.
- Whole house inspection + treatment where we’ll inspect the whole house for signs of active infestation and treat areas where the infestation is detected. After one week, we’ll return for a follow-up visit to determine whether there’s an active infestation. If so, we’ll continue the treatment until there’s no active infestation.
- Foaming treatment allows us to drill holes measuring 3-5mm into hidden areas and pump chemical substances into them. After two weeks, we’ll return for a follow-up.
- The Exterra Above Ground Baiting System is where baits are placed on the infested areas. Every 2 weeks, we’ll replenish the baits until the colonies are eradicated. This treatment may take longer, ranging from 2 to 6 months depending on the size of the colony.
- Prodding treatment is where we inject chemicals along the base of the tree to eradicate any active termites in the tree. After two weeks, we’ll return for a follow-up.
If you suspect there’s a termite infestation in your home, don’t wait too long to contact us as you may prolong the chance of termite infestation in and around your house. Contact us at (+65) 6288 2828 or 24-hour response (+65) 9180 9990 or enquire online today for the total pest control services!