# Forum Home Renovation Pest Control  Termite info

## Sapienreno

Have done some reading about termites. Although my 120 year old wooden home is in a termite region there has been no sign of damage at all.   
 I knew they aren’t ants but didn’t know they are probably descended from cockroaches so are more similar to them. Their tunnels can extend from 50- 100metres underground (longer in northern Australia usually). They hate light and prefer dark and damp places. They like timber with a moisture content about 25%. Ant caps don’t stop them, they just build their tunnels out and over them. The highest incidence of attack is on fences and landscaping structures. Some researchers in previous decades made guesstimates about the risk to structural damage to actual homes and these have been found to be way above the real risk. A lot of the public’s belief about termites is not based on facts.
Northern Australian termites are voracious eaters, but not as bad in some African areas where they can demolish a dwelling in three months.  
Termites build their tunnels for protection so they don’t dry out. Tunnels are made of chewed wood, dirt and their own faeces.  
Termites are so clever they eat non-load bearing timbers in your home first. True! (quickly posting this so you'll have to cut and paste the link) https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/sc...-they-can-chew  
When termites swarm we are lucky it is quite rare for them to survive.  *Termites usually swarm in summer in an attempt to start new nests.*New nests created by this means are rarely established in buildings unless there is a permanent source of moisture – the main threat is therefore from underground. In any event, it usually takes at least 3 years for a new nest to grow to a size large enough to be capable of causing economic damage.

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## Sapienreno

Others will know more for sure but it looks like a lot goes into determining your risk for termite invasion. The following are great informative papers. The one from QLD might show very different risk management than the rest but that is due to it being a higher risk zone. Zone 1 is less risk, Zone 5 most.  http://www.timber.net.au/images/down...t_builders.pdf    http://www.fwpa.com.au/images/market.../PN03.1213.pdf
The above is really interesting once you get past the statistics.   http://www.timber.net.au/images/downloads/termites/fair-trading-protecting-your-home-from-termites.pdf   http://www.timber.net.au/images/down...n_termites.pdf

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## Sapienreno

Forgot this......I liked this one. There is an error in a heading on P4 under Footnotes. It says old but should be QLD. Unfortunately they have a drywood species that doesn't need moisture and is harder to find. https://www.archicentreaustralia.com...rs-22Nov16.pdf
Feel free to fix my links if my paste doesn't work......or post information from the links that you think builders/renovators would find particularly of benefit. I tend to get stuck on learning about the insect rather than their impact on homes.

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