Termite control comes in many forms and it is often difficult to get good independent advice as to what Control measures you should take. As an expert in termite control I am very happy to share my knowledge with anybody who needs it, no strings! Just ask.
Showing posts with label termite thermal imaging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label termite thermal imaging. Show all posts
Termites in Sydney have been the focus of my business life for the last 20 years. I have been able to experience many different species of termites in vastly different situations through Greater Sydney. One theme has consistently shone through. I don't usually have panic stricken calls from people who have made it their business to properly maintain their home. The calls I get are from panic stricken people who often don't even know what a termite inspection is. It is no wonder that many of these people suffer great psychological and financial damage when they finally discover by default that termites have decided to make a meal of their homes. Prevention is better than cure, yes I know we cannot all have a Chrystal ball, however when the scientists from the CSIRO have stated repeatedly that all of the Eastern seaboard of Australia is at high risk of termite attack it is up to us the public to take some heed. These warnings are not given lightly. There are some simple steps to take to ensure that either your home is protected from termites.
In general all homes should have a visual timber pest inspection carried out at least every twelve months. A visual inspection is simply an inspection that does not include such things as lifting carpets, moving large furniture or insulation to better enable the inspection. what it does include is the checking of the yard and exterior of the property, underneath (if access available) through each room of the house and finally through the roof void.When carrying out a visual inspection a competent termite control technician will be able to determine if there is a need for further tests or an invasive inspection.Often when carrying out a visual inspection, a technician will find some conditions that give rise to suspicion that termites exist in the are but cannot prove it. During a visual inspection a moisture meter may be used. A moisture meter will detect the presence of moisture in such materials as gyproc and timber. Often when termites are present a high level of moisture will also be present.A thermal imaging camera can be used for special circumstances where non invasive investigation is preferred. A thermal camera detects infra red radiation from the top 1/1000 of an inch of the surface that the camera is being pointed at. Termites use damp mud in their workings and this can show up as a different thermal signature when viewed through the. Thermal camera.Invasive inspection is often a last resort method of determining whether termites are extent. Invasive inspection may include lifting carpets and vinyl, removal of some trimming timbers and even cutting areas of gyproc to reveal the timber wall studs.There is a place in pest management for all of the above however in general the place to start is with a visual inspection. After carefully choosing a termite control company you must then be able to be confident in following the recommendations made by the technician.
Termite inspections are a crucial part of the termite management systems built in to every home.even 100 years ago the termite management systems designed into a house were designed in such a way that without human interaction (inspection) they would fail.
An inspection is necessary to enable all functions in termite management
Prevention
Detection
Elimination
Without the initial inspection all of these functions can only blindly be carried out. For a homeowner to believe that they are adequately able to carry out an inspection is a pipe dream. Experienced pest control technicians struggle with termite inspection. It is truly a specialist field. In Sydney, termite inspections are carried out by many levels of technician. It takes only one week to become qualified to carry out termite inspection and treatment, there is no requirement for experience.
Cheap inspections are very readily available, avoid cheap like the plague. There is only one word that fits perfectly with cheap and that, is Nasty. It takes time to carry out a proper termite inspection and the time will vary dependent upon the size of the home and the complexity of its construction.
Ensure that you research any termite inspection or control company and see to it that they are appropriately skilled, qualified, licensed, insured and that the person who proves he is all of the preceding will be the one carrying out the work. For good measure if you require that anyone that you employ is a member of the AEPMA (the relevant industry association) and Pestcert (a body created to raise industry standards) then you will be well on your way to choosing a quality company.
Exterminating termites in Australia is known as termite control. Extermination is an often used word coming out of the USA which is not incorrect but little used in this country. Where we use the term termite control, termite extermination is fine to be inserted.
Now that we have got that out of the way, killing termites is a serious business. When termites are accessing your home by some out of the way subterranean route, no one can afford to try and carry out control measures themselves, it is too easy to mess up and the cost of messing up can be extreme termite damage to your home. Termite control should be left to the professionals and should always be carried out with the following in mind.
A termite inspection is necesary to enable the termite expert to be able to fully assess the situation and recommend the appropriate solution.
Termite colony control measures must be undertaken when live termites are found. It is of no use to carry out a preventative type treatment when the termites are still actively working in the building. It just does not work.
Preventative measures must be undertaken when colony control has been achieved, this may take the form of a chemical treated zone around the home or a "greener" monitoring system placed around the home. either way continual ongoing maintenance must be undertaken to ensure that a re-infestation cannot occur.
Thermal imaging is used in termite control to detect termites on a very regular basis. Not all homes will lend themselves to thermal imaging however a competent termite inspector will be able to recommend the best course of action. Thermal imaging detects infra red radiation from the top 1/1000 of an inch of the surface that the camera is being pointed at. When termites are present there will usually be some thermal irregularity pointing to that fact. Because a thermal camera is only reading infra red radiation, it is not solely going to detect termites, any irregularity in infra red radiation will show up. This is the reason that a thermal inspection should only be carried out with a visual inspection and by a competent termite control technician. The representation on the screen of the thermal camera must be interpreted by the technician who can judge whether there is in fact a termite presence or whether some further tests may need to be carried out.
I have taken some video to demonstrate in an extreme case what may be seen with a thermal imaging camera. In this video is a home that did not need to have thermal imaging carried out to locate the termites but by having it done we were able to locate the centre of the termite colony and treat directly into it. Go to this page on Termite thermal imaging and scroll down to see the video.
Thermal imaging is certainly not new technology, it's use in termite detection is now becoming "old technology" the gimmicks of thermal imaging have worn off and the real benefits of using the technology in well trained hands is being seen.
A Thermal camera that is properly rated for the task at hand, will find traces of termites where a standard inspection may miss them. For example, if a termite colony has taken up residence in a cavity wall of a house, there may be no signs of that infestation under the home or even in the roof void above that area, given that termite colonies produce quite a bit of heat, the colony will show up even if the walls are double brick.
Follow this link to see a photograph of a wall of a house where for successive years the pest controllers could not find where the termites were getting in. The termites in fact lived in the wall cavity on the second floor. http://www.pestec.com.au/technology
Thermal imaging is no "magic wand" but in many situations it is invaluable.
