We recently got a call from a real estate agent who had a sale of a house fall through due to active termites that were found during a pre-purchase inspection. The reason the active termites were discovered during the per-purchase inspection was that the tenants had moved out and the void where the fridge had been was now exposed. Behind the void was a false wall which was built between the kitchen and the bathroom. The termites had gained entry from piping in the false wall and had gone undetected for some time.
The owners of the house had organised regular yearly termite inspections due to the fact that the house had been attacked by termites many years ago and a chemical barrier was installed some time ago and has since expired. We understand the recommendations offered to the owner was to renew the termite chemical barrier (soil treatment zone), but the owner did not see the value in spending the money on this “as it was just a rental" and the fact that no current active termites could be seen it seemed senseless to spend the money.
All termite inspections are visual inspections, unless an inspector requests an invasive inspection, which normally involves using a borescope or removing parts of wall or cladding. Even when a termite visual inspection is performed using all the latest technology such as thermal cameras, an inspectors keen eye and experience are still the best tools in an inspectors arsenal.
There are times when even an inspection that has been completed to the highest standards can miss termites when they gain entry into a concealed area and continue to work, hidden in areas such as in a false wall. In these cases the active termites may go unnoticed for some time and it's not until major structural damage has been discovered that the termites are discovered also. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened to this house.
The consequence for the owner of the house is not only the fall through of sale of the house but now the house is considered unsafe to rent out, they are also facing a very large repair bill and all this stress and heartache could have been avoided had the owner opted to protect his investment with current chemical barrier protection.
The benefit of keeping your house protected with a current termite chemical barrier (soil treatment zone) far outweighs the cost of maintaining full termite protection to your home. At around $12.50 per week for a termite chemical barrier (average size house over a 5 year period) this is no more than the cost of 3 great coffees from your local café and less than a Gourmet Classic Angus meal deal at McDonalds.
The cost of not being pro-active and up to date with a termite protection program which includes a termite chemical barrier could be either a failed house sale, an unliveable or un-rentable house or a unexpected, very large repair bill.
For your peace of mind, check to see if your home is currently fully protected from a termite attack. If you are not sure then just give us a call and chat to one of our friendly, professional staff and we can arrange a free check-up for you, if you know that you have no current protection then we would recommend to start with a full termite inspection.
If you’re overdue for your termite inspection or if you suspect you may have a termite problem, call Results Home Services on 3823 2500 and have one of our qualified and experienced technicians out to complete a termite inspection. We service all of Brisbane and surrounding suburbs.