Keeping Home & Garden Termite Free

TERMITE INFESTATION IS SERIOUS AND CAN LEAD TO FINANCIAL LOSS AS WELL AS LOSS OF VALUABLES

Have you noticed damage to wooden furnitures, the destruction of important papers and boxes or even photograph albums full of memories being destroyed?  You may have a termite infestation!

Although termites may not be the most common of pests found in gardens, home and garden owners or, in fact, owners of units with any outdoor space should take steps to prevent infestation as termite colonies are difficult to eliminate without the help of a pest control expert.

Termite infestation can quickly lead to serious financial loss in the form of crumbling property, broken ceiling, damaged furniture and the loss of valuables.

Protect your home & garden – prevention is easier than cure

As termites thrive on moisture in warm temperatures, the exact condition of humid Singapore, home gardeners can take some simple precautionary measures:-

• Avoid any wood to ground contact as termites build their nests in damp soil and will then come to the surface in search of food sources.

• Fix plumbing leaks as soon as noticed as termites are drawn to moisture and will quickly infest the damp patches in walls.

• Remove wood, cardboard boxes and other cellulose materials that may be placed on the ground close to your home. Such materials attract termites and give them hidden entry paths to your structure.

Does your home & garden have termites?  How to identify termite infestation

Some tell tale signs of the existence of termites in your home are:-

• Mud tubes that are a mixture of soil, faeces and saliva of termites. These mud tubes run along walls and will serve as a runway from earth to the wood that termites will feed on.

• Termite droppings will be seen, these small brown six-sided cylindrical pellets are drywood deposits from the termites.

• When winged termites arrive in times of high humidity (usually in the evening or after rain) they will then shed their wings. Piles of wings will be noticeable to the eye.

• Damaged wood that has hollowed-out passages and may look rotten is a real tell tale sign of termites. The wood will even sound hollow when tapped with a screw driver.

Termites are not restricted to homes with gardens!  The subterranean termites will nest in soil and will travel up in their search of a food source.  Food sources that will tempt the subterranean termites are wooden fixtures on balconies, damp cardboard boxes in storage areas or indeed any wooden furniture on balconies.

What to do when you have termites?

Seek immediate help from a pest control service provider.  DIY treatment is often not strong enough and your termite infestation can worsen quickly causing substantial damage.

Some information about Termites. 

Did you know the queen termite can lay up to 160,000 eggs a year?

The lifespan of a queen termite is 5 – 10 years. 

Information is provided by Miss Lim Min Hui the Operations Director of Rentokil.  
Miss Lim embraces health and safety importance for the public and illustrates service and 
quality assurance in managing pest management needs to Rentokil’s valued customer.