termite damage Customer experience
Termite damage and the effects it can have on customers. Everyone deals with stress in different ways especially when your beloved home is in the firing line.
We recently did some termite work for a customer that had termites eating their en suite bathroom.
It all starts with a termite inspection of the home and during the inspection, we found termite damage.
After speaking to the customer and explaining that the termites found were Schedorhinotermes and they are very destructive, the wife broke down in tears.
This was just the start of this tragic episode for this couple, there was worse to come. Let me explain the steps that got to the end.
The termite inspection.
Regardless of whether you as the homeowner have found termites and you can point them out, we still must carry out a full termite inspection.
Sometimes the termite damage is obvious and pretty much anyone could tell what is going on. Nevertheless, a full inspection of the home is required to see how far into the home they are.
Once the inspection is complete, we can then write up a report and give a quote on removing the termites from the home. Removing termites from a structure needs to be done carefully to ensure that there are no colonies left behind.
Reporting
In the termite industry, reporting is one of the most important aspects to get right. Having the right paperwork in place not only protects the company carrying out the works but also the customer.
If anything goes wrong during any type of termite work and an insurance claim is required, the insurance company will ask for all paperwork.
So regardless of what termite damage is found before treatment can begin the paperwork has to be in place first.
The paperwork will include the initial report and termite treatment proposal.
Colony control treating termite damage
So now we come to the treatment of the termites found in the home. For this customer, this was very confronting as they had never seen anything like this before.
The colony control starts where the termite damage is easily accessible. In this case, the visible damage was around the bathroom window frame.
Openings are made around the damaged timbers and then a Termidor foam is injected into the termite galleries.
The customer in question was overly concerned and in serious distress at this point. Every time we made a new hole to inject more foam, she became even more concerned.
It is my job as a termite technician to alleviate the concerns of my customers. All I can say is you have to trust in the company you have chosen, and in the products being used.
Once all available workings have been treated the whole area is sealed up so’s not to disturb the termites. This is then left for around 3 weeks to allow time for the termites to spread the poison around.
Second Visit to check colony control
After the 3-week period has passed it is time to go back and check all the areas that have been treated.
Checking the termite damage can make a fair bit of mess as it involves digging into the workings to look for activity.
This stage must be done very carefully if live termites are found then more Termidor foam is used and then another 3-week period starts again.
In this case, no more activity was found, so at this point, we can safely say the termites have been eliminated.
The customer can now arrange for the whole termite damage to be removed.
Customer removing wall panels
This is a stage that we recommend having a licensed tradesperson complete, but in this case, the customer decided to do it.
So, it has been 3 days since we gave the all-clear, and on Saturday, we get the phone call. The customer called the office about midday Saturday in tears.
She could hardly talk she was in that much distress, so we calmed her down and asked what the problem was.
She proceeded to tell me that she thinks the termites are throughout her home as the damage was worse than she expected.
Now I had already prepared her that she may find a lot of termite damage once they start to pull down wall linings etc.
The more her husband pulled down all around the shower the more damage they found. This is normal as this termite moves extremely fast.
So, I dropped what I was doing and went straight around to see what the problem was. The termites had gone through a fair bit of timber behind the shower.
For me this was normal, so I calmed the customer down and assured her that it was all fine the termites had gone.
A good termite company will go out of their way for a customer especially when dealing with termites. This can be a very harrowing time for a homeowner and sometimes a visit from the experts is what is needed.
Thankfully with this job, the rest went as planned and the customer has now got a nicely renovated bathroom.
Barrier treatment to prevent termite damage
After the colony, control is all finished with and all the termite damage is long gone it is time to install a termite barrier.
There are all sorts of barriers that can be placed around homes and this should be discussed with the customer.
This homeowner decided on a termite baiting system call Trelona made by BASF.
Final thought
Termites can cause a lot of damage in a noticeably short time the best way to keep them out is to have regular inspections carried out.
Use a company that will go out of their way to help you out and that will explain every step of the way.
This can be a very daunting time for some people, it is also an expensive exercise. Firstly, you must get the termites out, then install a barrier and repair the termite damage.
A home should have a termite inspection at least every 12-months as stated in the Australian Standards.
Do not leave it to chance be proactive a book your termite inspection today.
