What are the signs of termite activity?

Visible muddy trails on the external walls of your property, leading to weep holes or other access points.

Soft spots in your skirting boards and window frames due to termites eating the timber from behind the paint.

Deformation patches in paint work over wooden beams or wooden sections of your property structure.

Large ‘unknown origin’ mould patches in walls or ceiling in the absence of water leaks or humid or wet weather.

Audible “cunching”/”gnawing” noises coming from walls or ceiling particularly noticeable at night.

Audible sound in walls triggers by tapping or knocking on walls caused by termites vibrating defensively.

Understanding Termite Control in the Sunshine Coast Regions

ECO-FRIENDLY & SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES

With the ongoing and regular development of suburban estates around the Sunshine Coast, there has been increases in termite activity. At Action Termite Solutions, we want to arm you with the right information and guide you through the many options for Termite Management Systems on the market.

There are more than 300 species of termites native to Australia. On the Sunshine Coast, we tend to see three main species in and around homes. Our Sentrex system was developed in Australia for local conditions.

Unlike other termite barriers available on the market, the Sentrex system is a cheaper and more eco-friendly, sustainable option in the long term.

Is my property at risk for termites?

Certain factors can make a property more “at risk”.

Here are some things to consider in assessing your risk. Have you had timber stored up against the external walls of your house? Does water pool close to your slab or against your external walls after rain? Do you have trees or branches touching your home’s external walls or roof? Has your property had slab additions or property extensions without termite prevention systems being installed? If you have a highset home, are the stirrups for your stumps clear of the dirt, or is the wood directly contact the ground? If you’re concerned about termite risk to your home, book in a Free External Termite Risk Assessment with us today.

Book A Free Risk Assessment

What can I do to reduce my risk for termites?

Property maintenance is key to reducing your risk for termites. Keep timber and other termite food sources well away from the external walls of your home. Maintain trees on your property so they do not touch or rest against your walls or roof.

Address building issues such as poor drainage near the slab, and use treated timber in all construction or extensions to your home, as well as in any additional buildings or structures built close to your home (for example children’s timber forts or pet or animal shelters or ‘runs’ in close proximity to your home.

The best risk management strategy is always to engage a professional to undertake regular termite inspections, and to install an effective termite prevention system.

If you have any concerns about termites in your home, book our Free External Termite Risk Assessment. Our termite specialists will visit your property and conduct a professional risk assessment. We provide a written report of what we found, plus recommendations specific to your property to reduce your risk.

Book A Free Risk Assessment

Harsh Chemicals – Are they needed?

Pesticides not needed to treat termites effectively

While we support that there is certainty an appropriate role for chemicals in pest control we caution that such applications will often have unintended collateral repercussions with significant broad consequence. Pesticides not only kill small organisms and contaminate ground water they pass up the food chain through insects to larger predators.

Aggregated treatment was developed by Australian Government scientists and is a highly effective chemical free method of detecting and eradicating termites. Termites inside the system are treated with small dose of metabolic powder which they then transfer back to the nest where it spreads and destroys all members of the colony.

Effectiveness of Termite Barriers

Termite barrier perimeter continuity is routinely difficult to achieve

Traditional chemical impediment zones (often incorrectly called barriers) routinely entail the discharge of more than a thousand litres of toxic pesticide around a family home. The efficacy of most installations is largely dependent on site conditions and perimeter continuity is routinely very difficult to achieve.

Any breeches (incomplete zones) inherently enable termite access to the home. Every termite colony has a single queen that can produce many millions of offspring in her lifetime. Each year subterranean colonies increase substantially in numbers and release alates to start more colonies. Over a period of time the population density probing a building perimeter may become extreme.

Termites in my garden aren’t a threat to my house

All infestations of buildings come from termites that were first foraging outside

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that termites in your garden are no threat to your property. All infestations of buildings come from termites that were originally foraging in the surrounding soil. Termite food is cellulose, found in timber, cardboard and paper products.

When food is located they emit scent pheromones that are detected and enhanced by others, thereby attracting large numbers to the source. Termites are forages and workers will forage at random until a food source is found. Without the right protection, those garden termites will eventually forage their way to your house.

Having a food source in my yard will attract termites

Termites cannot detect timber from a distance

Because termites do not detect timber from a distance the presence of in-ground high energy food sources around the property will not attract termites. They find food by constantly foraging shallow soils and surface. The systems will only engage termites that are already probing your yard.

Foraging termites encounter these stations and lay a pheromone trail to lead others to the location. Large numbers develop a cycle as they transport the food back to the underground nest. This feeding cycle is then leveraged to destroy the nest.

Facts about Termites

Fact 1

Subterranean termites build galleries or tubes underground. They radiate from the nest and forage at random, usually travelling close to the surface where soils are softest for tunnelling and where food sources are found.

Fact 2

Termite food is cellulose, found in timber, cardboard and paper products. When food is located they emit scent pheromones that are detected and enhanced by others, thereby attracting large numbers to the source.

Fact 3

There is a single Queen that may live for up to 50 years and is capable of producing tens of thousands of eggs each day, a shorter lived and replaceable King, Soldiers, Workers and Alates (winged reproductives that swarm each year to start new colonies).

Fact 4

Workers live for several years, are sterile, blind, work non-stop 24 hours a day and comprise 90% of the colony numbers. Their primary function is to locate and gather food for the nest.

Fact 5

There are some 350 species of Termites in Australia, however, less than 10 subterranean varieties are serious pests, with several in particular causing most structural damage to buildings.

Fact 6

Often called White Ants due to their colour, Termites are actually related to cockroaches. Both are amongst the most adaptive and longest living species on the earth.

Questions about termites? Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions

Termite FAQ’s

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Caloundra & Maroochydore
Glenview, Mooloolah Valley & All Other Sunshine Coast Areas

☏ 0488 287 987

Glenview, Sunshine Coast

Queensland