Termites are often thriving in the wall voids of our homes and the timber around windows, doors, frames and skirting are often last to be attacked by termites. This is the time when termites / white ants are usually discovered by people living in the house. When termites / white ants are found in the window frames etc. the colony is usually very well established in the walls and roof voids.

Areas in the house that never get visually inspected by occupants unless there is a change like some spring cleaning. Cleaning behind the bed or cleaning out the pot and pan cupboard in the kitchen, moving furniture around exposes skirting timbers that have been in total darkness for years.

Termites will not expose themselves in well lit areas unless by human intervention or if the reproductive termites “Alates” swarm and fly to create new colonies. Another way termites are discovered is the fact that some colonies grow so large they bust at the seams, eating closer to the surface of the timber and eventually break through the painted surfaces. In this case workers will quickly repair the hole with mud to keep light out and moisture in.

Termites / white ants enter the home from under the soil. Subterranean termites generally live in the top 200mm of the soil.

Once they have entered the building they make their way upwards until they can find suitable timber to feed on. Pine is the main timber used in construction of houses and is the favourite timber of the most destructive termites in South East Queensland.
Hardwood is not safe from these termites / white ants either as under certain conditions they totally consume it even though they prefer the softer wood of pine.

Termites / White Ants build mud tubes, tunnels and mounds to transport themselves from underground to higher in the house. One of the first spots attacked is the lower frame ” bottom plate” . The skirting boards are attached to the this part of the frame. Termites may eat through the skirting accidentally, this sometimes happens behind furniture where there is a dark place. Termites / white ants need dark moist areas to live so they never expose themselves to light.

From the single entry point thousands upon thousands of termites have access to the wall and its studs climbing up to the roofing timbers and possibly making the home one huge nest.

The hollow areas in the walls get filled with mud nest material and each queen lays two to three thousand eggs per day for her entire life.

Usually the first sign of termite / white ants inside the interior is when the owner notices damage to a frame around a window or door .Paint blisters on the frames can be a sign of attack and sometimes on closer inspection it’s revealed that the frame is hollow and full of termites eating the house. If undetected the nest grows filling walls with mud to protect the colony from drying out. A complex climate control system is needed to keep the nest healthy.

A professional is called and when he inspects the whole house the full extent of the damage is usually extensive.