You don't ever want to get the sick feeling in your stomach when you stumble across a part of your home that has succumbed to termites. Not only can their destruction cost you thousands of dollars to exterminate, these tiny insects have the ability to destroy your home and most of the time you won't even know they're doing it.
If you want to avoid this experience all together, take the smart approach and get a building and pest inspection before you purchase a property….it’ll boost your buying confidence.
But so you understand why it's imperative to have your property inspected for termites, we thought we'd share with you some interesting facts about these little critters and why they are so capable at making your life a bit of a nightmare:
- Termites are on the go 24 hours a day, there's no rest because there's a house to eat!
- When you think of methane gas, you think of other things right? Not termites! Well in fact termites are one of the largest producers of methane gas in the insect and animal kingdom, emitting an estimated 20 million tonnes of methane gas per year worldwide. Why such high production rates of this stink? It's because of the bacteria and protozoa that live in the termites gut that aid in the digestive process of your home's wood!
- Termites are so used to living in the dark their entire lives, they actually can't see. The ones you may have seen flying around outside, well they're the ones that reproduce and are trying to find mates and start new colonies.
- Termites are likely to have very sore heads because when they detect a threat, they bang their heads on the wall of their nests. This banging sends out vibrations as a signal to other termites that something bad may happen.
- In addition to being attracted to wood, termites are also attracted to water and humid conditions, so keep an eye out for leaking pipes, drains, showers, sinks and air-conditioning units as well as drainage and ventilation.
- Termites have a tough time chewing through concrete that has been properly laid, so check that any concrete slabs are properly laid and designed.
Although these little critters are interesting, when they're discovered during a building inspection they can most certainly turn an exciting buying experience into a somewhat disappointing one. But the good news is that if there are termites, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can't go through with the purchase, it just means you’re armed with information.
Having a pest inspection report completed means that you will be aware of the extent of the problem and how much it's likely to set you back money wise, it’s a great decision making tool. Finding out that the home you're hoping to purchase does have termite damage can also be a valuable negotiating tool.
