A new Australian standard was issued at the end of 2017 for building and pest inspections.
What does this mean? This standard now requires inspectors to carry out further tests on building and pest inspections. Traditionally the use of basic tools such as a timber sounder and a moisture meter was sufficient however these tools alone in some instances will not detect active termites in concealed areas unless an invasive inspection is carried out.
Basically, the new requirement is to ensure that pre-purchase inspectors carrying out timber pest inspections must carry either a Thermal camera, A termite radar or a termite detection dog to be able to determine if certain areas of high moisture are, or are not termites.
It is also important to note that the inspector must be trained to use the device or animal. If you are engaging a firm to carry out a building and pest inspection ask the question, Do you have thermal, termite radar or a termite detection dog and most importantly do you have the adequate certification to use these additional tools?
When buying a house you want a speedy process, If the right tools are not used this may involve missing termites or having to delay the sale further to return and open up walls, at an additional costs.
Some points that you should look for when employing a company to carry out a Building and Pest inspection,
▶Use a two Man team,A Licensed Builder, and a seperate Pest Technician.
▶ A detailed report highlighting Structural concerns, Safety and major defect identification.
▶ Assessing for all Timber Pests including Termites, Mould, Moisture, Decay, and wood Borer.
▶ Thermal Imaging should be Included (be mindful some companies will up-sell onsite).
▶ The Termite radar Termatrac T3i again should be include (be mindful some companies will up-sell onsite).
▶ Ensure Same day digital photographic reports are provided (this will allow more time to deal with highlighted issues).
▶ Additional Advice, Recommendations, and consultation on the issues highlighted within the reports.
Why a Two man team
We recommend a two man team as combined inspections carried out by one inspector unfortunately can lead to major issues being overlooked. Generally these inspections are carried out by persons with limited experience in the Termite industry and in some cases no experience in treating or dealing with Termites in the field. E.G a Builder with a Pest inspection licence with no industry experience.
We believe that a pest inspection should be carried out by a professional whom has experience in Termite inspections and furthermore tracking and identifying the species and caring out successful termite treatments. It is also imperative to have the correct tools and an understanding of Termite ecology and individual species behaviour, this significantly assists in the inspection process. Why is an understanding of ecology important, well for instance some species pose very little to no threat and you may be charged for unnecessary treatments or limited information provided leading to unnecessary stress.
For more information go to our Termite inspection page
