How often should a house be inspected for termites?

Termites are present in almost all of mainland Australia and cause more damage to Australian homes each year than fire and storm combined. The critical fact for a homeowner is that the resulting damage is almost universally excluded from home insurance policies, so there is nobody to fall back on.

What an inspection covers

• Accessible interior, roof space and subfloor, looking for workings, damage and conditions that attract termites.
• The perimeter and the garden, including fences, stumps, retaining walls and any timber in contact with soil.
• Moisture conditions, since leaks and poor drainage are what make a house attractive in the first place.
• The condition and continuity of any existing barrier or treated zone.

Barriers are not permanent

Chemical and physical barriers both have a service life, and both can be breached by later work. Adding a path, a deck, a garden bed, an extension or even a large amount of mulch against the wall can bridge a barrier that was working. If you have had any of that done, the barrier is worth re-examining rather than assumed.

The conditions worth removing

• Timber in contact with soil, including form work left under a slab and old stumps in the yard.
• Leaking taps, air conditioner condensate and poor drainage that keeps soil against the house damp.
• Mulch and garden beds built up against the wall above the slab edge, which hides the inspection zone.
• Stored timber and cardboard under the house or against the wall.