Termite Protection for New Homes and Renovations
If you are building a new home, adding an extension or carrying out renovations, it’s important to think about termite protection before you start.
Ignore the designation as to whether a council area is “termite declared” – termites are active all across Victoria and your home needs to be protected.
From a legal point of view IF your council area is “termite declared” you MUST install termite protection on new buildings, extensions and some renovations.
It’s important to contact a termite expert at the planning stage before starting the build, so you get the best advice ensuring your home is correctly protected from termites.
For expert termite protection for new houses and renovations
When do you need termite protection?
All our termite inspections are carried out according to Australian Standards 3660.
The inspection is designed to determine if there are…
Building a house
When building a house, it is essential to make sure there are no potential concealed entry points for termites. Termite protection products need to be integrated with the physical elements of the construction to remove all hidden entry points. With termites able to get through gaps as small as 2 mm this is quite a challenge, and it’s important to make sure the correct termite protection products are installed correctly.
The termite protection system should be designed at the planning stage and indeed a good termite professional can make suggested changes to the building design to provide better protection from termites.
Adding an extension
Extensions, much like new buildings, need to have termite protection products installed during construction. For extensions, the weak point is always the join between the extension and the original building.
Doing renovations
Termite protection does not need to be considered for all renovations, but any renovations which include the kitchen, laundry and bathroom will definitely need termite protection. Not only is it critical that these locations are properly waterproofed (remember termites love moisture!) but all penetrations – the entry points for plumbing and drains – need to be protected to stop termite entry.
Landscaping
Most people don’t think about termite protection when carrying out landscaping activities. The main reason for this is that the people carrying out the landscaping activities – landscapers, gardeners, concreters and homeowners – don’t have a knowledge of termites or the risk they pose. Whenever elements are installed next to the house – garden beds, paths, patios, decks – termite protection needs to be considered.
Designing a termite protection system
For any construction project, termite protection needs to be considered at the planning stage. If construction is complete and termite protection is overlooked, the project may not be approved by the building inspector and it can be very difficult and more expensive to try and retro fit compliant termite protection.
To design a suitable termite protection system, we need the project plans so all the potential termite entry points can be identified. This allows us to propose a system that protects these entry points and is compliant with the necessary regulations.
Termite Protection Products
At Geelong Pest Control we only use quality, Australian manufactured termite protection products. One of the core products we use is Homeguard Blue PB, which is a sheet material installed at the base of the perimeter walls to prevent termite entry. It is a high impact polymer sheeting impregnated with insecticides, providing both a physical and chemical barrier. It has a CodeMark certificate of conformity which means it lasts for lifetime of the building (+50 years).
We also use the Greenzone range of products which provides the tools to protect other termite entry points such as pipe penetrations and joins in concrete slabs.
Termite Protection FAQ
When should I call Geelong Pest Control?
Call us at the planning stage – before you start to build!
Should I use a pest control company or a builder to design the termite protection system?
We believe it’s always best to consults experts in their field – so for construction you consult a builder / architect, for termite protection you consult a pest control company. Another point to bear in mind is that builders are always looking to provide the cheapest option, whilst still meeting regulations, in order to maximise profit. When we work on a construction project, we will discuss all the termite protection options with you to provide the best termite protection for your home. If various options are available, you can then make a decision on which way you want to go.
What regulations govern termite protection requirements?
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) overseas the regulatory aspects of the construction industry and is responsible for the National Construction Code (NCC) and CodeMark Australia, which is a building product certification scheme, which also covers termite protection products. The NCC refers to Australian Standards 3660.1, which sets out the requirements for the design and construction of subterranean termite systems for new constructions. This is the key document that Geelong Pest Control follows in designing a termite protection system.
In Victoria, there is this unusual system whereby councils can designate areas as “termite declared”. See below.
What are “termite declared” areas?
In Victoria, under council building regulations, councils may designate areas within the municipality where buildings are at risk of termite attack. Such areas are “termite declared” and all new constructions in the area need to have suitable termite management system installed.
This is quite a bizzare system, given that termites are present across Victoria, making all homes at risk of termite attack. Further, that one area is “termite declared” and a neighbouring area isn’t doesn’t make sense – termites don’t read postcodes!
Key message: Your home is at risk of termite attack, make sure it’s protected!
Why choose Geelong Pest Control?
What our customers say
For expert termite protection for new houses and renovations