Termites or “white ants” as they are commonly referred to, cause millions of dollars in damages to buildings and structures in Australia every year.
To the majority of the general public, termites are either not thought of, or not seriously considered when building a new home, carrying out an extension or renovating an existing home.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 homes suffer termite damage of some kind during the life of the building. Many millions of dollars are spent annually by homeowners rectifying this damage and because of the nature of termite activity few, if any, insurance companies will insure against damage by these pests.
With this in mind, it is in the best interest of the building designers, builders and owners to install an effective termite management system during construction, that will minimise the risk of attack.
Your new home or extension is a substantial investment. You owe it to yourself to protect that investment by being fully aware of your responsibilities and the options available to you with regard to termite protection.
Myths Vs Facts
There are some myths and misconceptions relating to termites that all homeowners need to be properly informed about.
- I have a termite barrier in my home, therefore I’ll never have a problem with termites- WRONG! There is no guarantee that termites will not attack your home. The whole purpose of installing termite barriers is to prevent termites from gaining concealed access to your home. Effective termite barriers force termites into the open where they can be detected.
- Termite barriers protect my home – WRONG! All termite barriers act as a detection system not a protection system.
Information Courtesy Mike Harding, Member of Australian Building Codes Board’s Building Codes Committee.