Most mortgage lenders require a pest inspection before lending money on a property. These inspections usually look for pests that cause structural damage to a home or are a health hazard.

All homes contain timber elements and are at risk of termite attack. A pest inspection is an excellent idea to protect your investment and maintain the value of your property. For more information about the pest inspection Adelaide, click here.

Termites

The most common pest affecting homes and businesses in Adelaide is termites (or white ants). Unlike wood borers, these social insects prefer cellulose-based plant material. They can cause severe and expensive damage to unprotected timber structures – including your home.

They live in complex social colonies and forage widely to access cellulose sources such as timber in homes and buildings. Annually, the value of termite-related structural damage in Australia exceeds that caused by fire and flood combined.

Termite infestations are often discovered after significant damage has already occurred. Consequently, it is essential that regular visual and soil moisture testing be conducted around a structure’s foundations to detect any termite activity.

Signs of termite activity include mud tubes, evidence of winged swarmers, discarded wings and significant accumulations of “frass” or frass (termite droppings). Other indicators include soft and hollow-sounding drywall, doors and windows that no longer close correctly and cracks in brick mortar joints.

Wood Borers

Wood Borers are a type of beetle that munches away on timber furniture and floorboards. The damage done by borer beetles can range from weakening the timber to its destruction, depending on the species involved. For more information about the pest inspection Adelaide, click here.

Although not a deal-breaker, if you discover beetle damage within a property, you should call a pest professional for treatment. Several products can be used, including borate and insecticide. Another popular product is diatomaceous earth (DE), a natural product that penetrates the beetle’s exoskeleton and dehydrates it, killing it.

During a pre-purchase timber pest inspection, the inspector will check the accessible areas of the building for borers. They will look at interiors, roof voids, subfloor timbers, and external regions such as fencing and trees up to 30 meters from the building. They will also check for leakage, drainage issues and issues with ventilation, as these are conducive to pest infestation.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are insects belonging to the order Blattodea. They are the most successful omnivores and can survive without water for months. They are among the oldest creatures on earth and have adapted to most environments.

Once a male and female cockroach mate, the fertilized female starts producing an egg capsule called an ootheca. The ootheca swells and bulges out from the female’s abdomen. The cockroach will either carry the ootheca until the young hatch, or she will drop it. A female cockroach can produce one to three generations yearly.

Cockroaches are a common household pest in Australia. They are nocturnal and enter homes by crawling over drain covers or ventilation openings. They can also enter through cracks and crevices or under doors. Indoors, cockroaches like to live in kitchens and bathrooms. Keeping these areas clean and sealing all cracks will help prevent cockroaches from infesting the home. For more information about the pest inspection Adelaide, click here.

Ants

A common pest found in residential homes, these ants forage indoors and feed on sweets, meats, vegetables, honeydew, and other insect secretions. They have a distinctive coconut-like scent when crushed. Winged males and queens emerge during certain times of the year. The winged males mate with the queens by depositing sperm in their sperm sacs. Fertilized eggs produce females, and unfertilized ones produce sterile workers or soldiers.

These ants nest in woodwork, masonry, soil, and rotted wood. They also forage in houses and other buildings, entering through cracks. They are often confused with termites but are distinguished by their two-node petiole and thorax, which are spineless. Their antennae have 12 segments and a three-segmented club.

We strongly recommend a Combined Building and Pest Inspection for any home in Adelaide with timber elements in the construction. This provides the best protection against timber pests and other defects which can damage your home. It is also the most cost-effective option.