Termite Inspections & Treatments Some Changes Ahead:
Arsenic banned when treating a termite colony inside of an occupied home. There are some changes ahead of the Australian standards for termite inspections and treatments.
The new standard was published on the 22nd of December 2017.
These changes will affect the way a pest control company does a termite inspection and the way we write the report and also the way we treat a termite issue.
For those that don’t know the (AS 3660.2.2000) is the standard in which every termite inspector has to abide by when carrying out a visual termite inspection.
The reporting system I use is an electronic system called report writer, it’s fast and very well laid out for the customer to fully understand.
The termite report is as important as the termite inspection, it needs to be completed correctly outlining any termite issues that a property may have, and also outline potential future termite problems.
The AS 3660.2.2000 has now been amended and is now known as the AS 3660.2.2017.
It’s important that your termite company keeps up to date with any changes to the AS 3660.2.2017.
I’ll run through the different changes in this blog so that you can make sure your termite inspector is doing the right thing by you and your home.
Changes To The Report:
There will be two different reports a “Regular Visual Termite Inspection Report: and a “Special Purpose Inspection Report” each used for a different purpose.
Our current report is called a “visual termite inspection report” this is now going to change to the “Regular Visual Termite Inspection Report” so really it’s only the name that changes for the moment.
Some additional fields will also be added to the new reports that must be filled out by your termite inspector.
Reports will now have to be kept for 3 years; here at Sunnystate, we keep our termite reports for 7 years.
Arsenic Banned In Termite Treatment Procedures:
When termites are found in a property they have to be treated with a Termicide; there are a few different types that a pest controller can use to help eradicate termites from a home.
The one that has been used for the last 50 or so years is “Arsenic” now I can hear you thinking ARSENIC and so you should be, as this chemical is registered as a “DANGEROUS POISON” and it is.
The new changes to the AS 3660.2.2017 will now mean that a pest control company dealing with a termite issue in a property of any kind that is occupied, can NOT use arsenic.
Make sure you ask your pest control company what products they use to get rid of termites.
It’s about time that this rule was brought in to effect; there are many other ways of dealing with a termite colony these days, without the use of a dangerous poison like arsenic.
I personally have never and will never use ARSENIC in a customer’s home, I wouldn’t even carry it around with me and have never purchased it.
Other products such as “TERMIDOR DUST” are a much better option; it’s safe for the whole family and pets, and importantly it’s safe for the pest technician applying it.
There are also termite baits we can use to get rid of termites from a home, and the only thing they kill are the termites.
Introducing Specialised Tools Into Termite Inspections:
In the revised version of the AS 3660.2.2017, there is now a section (3.5.2 Specialist Tools) where the use of a Thermal Imaging Camera or other termite detection devices is recommended.
What the standard is saying is that it Recommends the use of a specialised tool when high moisture is detected and cannot be explained or where termite activity is suspected.
Believe it or not, the use of a thermal imaging camera was not classed as a standard tool for the purpose of a termite inspection.
Here at Sunnystate Pest Control & Termites, we have always used a thermal imaging camera during our inspections.
Any device that gives an inspector the means of doing a more thorough inspection has to be a good thing, this also adds peace of mind for the customer.
The standard does say that to have a specialised tool i.e. (thermal imaging camera) is a RECOMMENDATION not MANDATORY.
Let’s just clarify this, a thermal imaging camera is NOT classed as a standard tool, but is now classed as a specialised tool and a recommended tool when moisture is found in a property.
What This Means For The Customer:
So what does all this mean for the customer, well in a nutshell nothing at all, the customer doesn’t have to do a thing.
If anything the customer benefits from these new changes, because they are going to get a more detailed report and inspection.
Your local and professional termite company is the one that has to implement these new rules into their inspection procedure and the report.
A wall through the eyes of a Thermal Imaging Camera
Conclusion:
As for us here at Sunnystate pest control & Termites, we think the new changes to the AS 3660.2.2017 are a good thing.
It will mean more time will have to be taken when filling out the report and during the inspection, but that also means the report will be more detailed.
A more detailed report will give the customer a better understanding of the potential risk their home is from a termite attack.
If you have any questions regarding a termite issue in or around the home or have any questions about a termite report you have received please don’t hesitate to contact us.
