Mud tubes up a pier, a skirting board that sounds hollow, or a drift of wings on the windowsill can make your stomach drop. What you do on the first day matters, mostly for what you don't do.
The Australian Museum says termite colonising flights happen in warm, humid weather, usually in spring and autumn, so late spring is when many Newcastle and Lake Macquarie households first notice something. Here is a calm plan, what a 'nest in the house' usually means, and who should treat it.
What to do in the first 24 hours
- Stay calm and look, don't touch. A careful first day beats a rushed one.
- Photograph it from a distance, then close up, and note exactly where it is: which room, wall, pier or fence post.
- Leave it undisturbed. Queensland Government advice for householders (general advice, not a NSW rule) is not to disturb nests, mud tunnels, paths or trails.
- Note what is nearby: a leaking tap or pipe, a garden bed against the wall, timber stacked on the ground, a pot plant on pavers.
- Call a termite inspector. Phone us on (02) 4954 6415 or book a termite inspection online.
What not to do
- Don't spray it. Our termite FAQ explains that disturbed termites can pull back and turn up somewhere else, which makes them harder to treat.
- Don't knock down or scrape off mud tubes to see what is behind them.
- Don't pull skirting, lining or timber apart to look inside. Photograph it and let the inspector open up what needs opening.
- Don't assume it is ants. Termites have no waist and bead-like antennae, and they are not ants, according to the Australian Museum. Our guide to flying termites and flying ants shows how to tell them apart.
- Don't count on insurance to pick up the bill. More on that below.
What does a 'nest in the house' really mean?
People often say they have a nest in the house. The Australian Museum lists several nest types: ground mounds, tree nests, pole nests on fence posts and similar, subterranean nests in soil, stumps and tree bases, and wood inside trees. So the colony is often outside, in the ground, a stump or a tree, with tunnels leading to the house. That is not true of every case, and only a few of Australia's 258 described termite species damage buildings.
Termite workers are thin-skinned and dry out easily, so they rarely leave the nest or its tunnels. That is why mud tubes are the sign you can see.
When we find termites in a house we do our best to locate the nest, because treating the colony at its nest is quicker and cheaper. On one job the termites were inside a house and the nest was in the next door neighbour's yard. With the neighbour's permission it was dug up and treated, and the house was booked for a re-inspection. See the termite nest case study.
Why moisture matters
The Australian Museum says subterranean termites can only become building pests where there is a constant water source, and it names indoor plants on pavers, leaking pipes and leaking roofs. A walk-around checklist, drawn from Queensland Government and ANZ home insurance guidance (general advice):
- Leaking taps, pipes, air-conditioner drains and roof tiles fixed.
- Gutters and downpipes carrying water away from the house.
- No garden beds, mulch or shrubs piled against the walls.
- No loose timber stacked against or under the house, and wood piles kept off the ground.
- Old stumps removed, and brick weep holes kept clear.
Fixing a leak is always a good idea. If you have already found activity, check with your inspector before moving garden beds or timber near it, so the evidence is not disturbed.
Checking inside and out
Queensland Government advice (general, not a NSW rule) is to tap skirtings, architraves and door and window frames and listen for a dull, hollow sound. Look for blistered or bubbled paint and rippled or bulging wall linings. Outside, look for small mud tunnels on walls, paths, foundation posts and brick walls. Our guide to the signs of termite damage goes into more detail.
Who should treat it
The NSW EPA says using pesticides for commercial termite treatment needs an EPA timber pest management technician licence. A timber pest inspection that uses no pesticides, and a pesticide-free termite barrier, need no EPA licence. The EPA keeps a public register of NSW pesticide licences, so you can check a technician before you book.
A termite inspection with us covers inside the home, the roof void, the subfloor, the outside walls and the grounds, using termite radar, a thermal camera and a moisture meter where something looks suspicious, and you get a written report. It is a visual inspection, and your report lists any areas that could not be reached. If activity is found, treatment options include baiting, a chemical treated zone around the building and nest treatment. See termite treatment and management. No treatment can promise a result, so we re-inspect to check activity has stopped.
The money side
ANZ's home insurance guide, which cites CGU as underwriter, says most insurers do not cover termite damage because it is preventable. Check your own policy's product disclosure statement. It is the reason early inspection and fixing moisture problems matter.
If you have found something
Photograph it, leave it alone and call the office on (02) 4954 6415. You can also book a termite inspection online. Elite Building & Pest Services inspects and treats across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens and the Hunter.
- (02) 4954 6415
- admin@elitebps.com.au
- Servicing Newcastle, Kotara, Warners Bay, Mayfield, Cameron Park and more
Sources: Australian Museum, Termites; NSW EPA, Pest management technicians, fumigators, training permits; Queensland Government, Termites, public housing tenants (general advice, not NSW rules); ANZ, Floods, bushfires and termites: what does home insurance cover?.