Termite questions, answered

At least once a year. That is our standing advice for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie homes, and it matches CSIRO guidance that regular inspections are needed at least annually. Where the risk is higher, for example with termites found nearby before, bushland close by, damp or poorly drained or low-lying ground, leaks around the house, or a timber subfloor, inspect more often: ask us about every six months.

Our inspection frequency guide gives advice for your home.

Sources: CSIRO, Managing termites (2021); Queensland Building and Construction Commission, Termite management systems (2024).

We inspect the whole property: inside the home, the roof void, the subfloor, the outside walls and the grounds, including trees, stumps, fences and sheds. We tap and probe timber, and use termite radar, a thermal camera and a moisture meter where something looks suspicious. Then you get an easy to read written report.

See what we check in each area.

Evidence of termite activity and visible damage in the areas we could reach, the areas we could not inspect, the conditions around the home that attract termites, and our recommendations: further or invasive investigation where needed, repairs, treatment and a management plan to reduce the chance of them coming back.

A thermal imaging camera shows temperature differences behind wall linings, which can point to termite activity or moisture that cannot be seen by eye. On one of our inspections it showed termites inside a wall that looked perfectly normal.

See the thermal images. A warm or damp patch can have other causes, so the camera points to where to look closer; it is not proof on its own.

We use a Termatrac T3i termite radar on suspicious areas. It picks up termite movement inside walls, door frames and under carpet without cutting into anything. On one job it found termites under the carpet and inside a door frame.

See the radar job.

Yes. A termite inspection is visual and covers the areas we can safely reach. Areas behind stored goods, furniture or fixed floor coverings, inside wall cavities, and roof or subfloor spaces with no safe access cannot be fully inspected. Your report lists them. Clearing access to the roof manhole and subfloor before we arrive helps.

Sources: Australian Government ABLIS, AS 4349.3 Timber pest inspections.

Yes. Brick veneer homes have timber frames and roof timbers inside the brick. New homes in termite-risk areas are built with a termite management system, but under the National Construction Code it is there to deter termites from getting in unseen, not to stop termite activity on the site. Garden beds and paving built over the slab edge later can bridge it. Annual inspections are still recommended.

Sources: National Construction Code 2019, Part 3.1.4 explanatory information; Queensland Building and Construction Commission, Termite management systems (2024).

Mud tubes (mud leads) up piers, walls or slab edges; timber that sounds hollow when tapped; bubbling or blistered paint on timber; doors and windows that start to stick; discarded wings near windows and doors; and damaged timber behind skirting, carpet or fittings.

Try the signs checker.

Sources: CSIRO, Managing termites (2021).

Winged termites (alates) leave a mature colony to start new ones, usually on warm, humid evenings in the warmer months, often at dusk. A swarm or a pile of shed wings near a window or door can mean a colony is nearby, and is worth an inspection.

Sources: CSIRO, Managing termites (2021); Australian Museum, Termites.

Moisture and a hidden way in. Garden beds or mulch against the walls or over weep holes, leaking taps and pipes, timber touching the soil, stored timber against the house, and a damp, poorly ventilated subfloor all raise the risk. Your inspection report lists any we find.

Sources: CSIRO, Managing termites (2021); Department of Health Victoria, Pest control: termites; Australian Museum, Termites.

No. Do not spray, break open or disturb termite workings. Disturbed termites can pull back and turn up somewhere else, which makes them harder to treat. Take a photo if you can and call us.

Sources: CSIRO, Managing termites (2021).

We confirm how far the activity goes and look for the nest where we can, because treating the colony at its nest is quicker and cheaper. Then we recommend treatment and a management plan, and re-inspect to check the activity has stopped.

Treatment and management options.

Above-ground baiting placed on active termite workings, in-ground baiting and monitoring as ongoing protection (we use the Sentricon Always Active system), a chemical treated zone in the soil around the building, and targeted, foam and nest treatments, including direct injection into the nest when we can find it. A full management plan usually combines them.

Compare the options.

They do different jobs. Baiting is often the best way to kill a colony when its nest cannot be found, but it does not wall the house off. A correctly installed and maintained chemical treated zone is designed to stop termites getting into the building unseen; how it works depends on the registered product, it has to stay unbroken, and inspections are still needed. Which suits your home depends on the house and on what the inspection finds.

Sources: Department of Health Victoria, Pest control: termites.

No system is a guarantee. Termite management is designed to cut the risk, and treatments can be weakened over time by renovations, garden changes, slab movement and chemicals wearing off. That is why an inspection every year after treatment matters.

Sources: CSIRO, Managing termites (2021).

In NSW, using pesticides to treat termites for work needs an NSW EPA licence. The EPA is phasing in a timber pest management technician licence for this work; a current pest management technician licence covers commercial termite treatments in the meantime. An inspection alone does not need an EPA licence. Whoever you use, it is fair to ask about their licence and insurance.

Sources: NSW EPA, Pest management technicians and fumigators.

A building inspection notes visible termite damage, but it does not tell you whether termites are still active. NSW Government advice is to get a pest inspection as well, especially where termites are a known problem. Our combined building and pest inspection covers both.

Building and pest inspections.

Sources: NSW Government, Inspection reports when buying property.

Pre-purchase timber pest inspections follow the scope in AS 4349.3, a visual inspection of the accessible areas of the property reporting on termite activity, damage and conditions that invite it. Building inspections follow AS 4349.1. The standards describe what a proper inspection covers; they are not a certification.

Sources: Australian Government ABLIS, AS 4349.3 Timber pest inspections.