Expert’s message to home owners: Act now
10th December 2017
AN IPSWICH pest control inspector has issued a dire warning to home owners.
According to Leon Kriel, one in three Ipswich homes are ticking termite time bombs and will suffer damage from termite infestation this summer.
The Boonah based inspector said homes most at risk were those on slabs built between 1995 and 2002.
Boonah resident Stacey Wilson said she had a rude surprise when she found the pests living amongst he clothes in her wardrobe.
“The problem was discovered when I found a termite nest in my walk-in robe so we got onto Leon who came and started doing some investigating for us and discovered they’d eaten a long way into the wall,” she said.
Termites damage 180,000 homes in Queensland each year, with an estimated total repair bill upwards of $700 million. Ipswich is rated as a very high risk area for termite destruction due to weather conditions and the prevalence of very destructive species of termites in the area, Mr Kriel, CEO of Master Pest Control, said.
“When these risk factors are combined with a lack of effective pre-construction treatment and a lack of regular inspections, rates of damage skyrocket,” Mr Kriel said.
“In the 1950s, chemical pesticides started being used to prevent termite damage, which enabled people to build on slabs rather than traditional Queenslanders on stumps. These organic chloride pesticides were an effective deterrent to termites for 20-30 years but during the 70s and 80s there were growing concerns about safety to people and the environment.”
The chemicals were phased out.
Mr Kriel said that in the years following 1995, the only treatment many homes received was the very ineffective organic phosphate chemicals.
“Many people assume that because their home is relatively new, that they don’t need to worry about termites, but I have seen devastating damage in near new homes,” said Mr Kriel.
“Even if you don’t notice any evidence of termite activity, it’s best to seek advice from a trained professional to inspect and protect your home.”
“It’s not a case of if a particular home will have termites, but rather a question of when,” he said.
