The Importance of Regular Pest Inspections on your Property

One of our clients recently conducted a renovation at their home and whilst removing the tiles on the floor and walls in the bathroom, discovered extensive termite damage. This resulted in additional costs added on to their renovations as they had to replace the timber structures in the walls and replace the walls due to termite damage. They did not undertake regular pest inspections of their property and were not aware of any damage caused by pests.

Annual pest inspections are extremely important as they inform the home owner of any possible risk areas. There are several types of pest inspections to be aware of.

Types of Pest Inspections

• Annual home inspections
• Annual investment property inspections
• Pre-purchase inspections
• Inspections prior to putting your property on the market
• Annual termite inspection and treatment: Australian Standards recommend to get your property inspected for termite activity at least once a year

If potential issues are not identified early on, pests such as termites can cause great damage to a home without the owner even being aware of it. When we conduct annual pest inspections at properties, we pay special attention to particular possible risk areas.

Possible Risk Areas

• Wet areas in bathrooms laundries, and kitchens can attract termites due to high moisture levels – such as leaking taps, showers or pipes
• Freshly painted areas in pre-purchase properties that look ‘new’ could be hiding rotting frames and evidence of pests
• Crawl spaces that are out-of-the-way and prone to moisture
• Subflooring: termites live underground so they can get to areas of our homes that aren’t easily accessible to us. If you notice buckling of your floors or areas that look like they have water damage, you may have termites in your subflooring
• Hot water systems or air conditioning units not connected to drainage, attached close to house and constantly dripping into soil or subfloor can attract termites due to the excess moisture created

The best way to deal with an infestation is to avoid one entirely in the first place.

Top 6 Reasons to have regular Pest Inspections

1. Pests pose health risks
2. Pests can damage your property and belongings
3. Pests can contaminate your food and utensils
4. Financial protection: home insurance does not provide coverage or benefits for repairs and damages brought on by pests
5. Value preservation: get your home inspected before you put it on the market so that you can avoid contract cancellations or re-negotiations
6. The best way to deal with an infestation is to avoid one entirely in the first place

This is why we highly recommend annual pest inspections to all our customers. Call our office on 1300 701 401 and book now.