| Invasive termite inspection in termite control | | | | A borer scope can be used to look inside any cavity |
| An invasive termite inspection is often recommended | | | | that has the ability for a hole to be created that will fit |
| in a termite inspection report or a pre purchase termite | | | | the lense through, this includes dwarf brick walls, ceiling |
| inspection report. Simply put an invasive termite | | | | cavities and under and behind kitchen and bathroom |
| inspection is the next step that most pest managers | | | | cabinets. The size of the hole that is necessary for |
| will recommend when they understand that there is | | | | access is usually 14mm. |
| quite a risk of either termite damage or termite activity | | | | - Removal of trimming timbers to reveal extent of |
| being present in a structure that is not able to be | | | | termite activity or mudding |
| detected using standard visual termite inspection | | | | In areas where it is suspected that termites may be |
| practices. | | | | working this is often able to be positively determined |
| It can be argued that before invasive termite inspection | | | | by removing trimming timbers in the areas of special |
| is undertaken, that there are at least two (and possibly | | | | interest. This may necessitate the removal of skirting |
| more) valid termite inspection tools that are non | | | | boards, door frames, chair or picture rails and |
| invasive and therefore less costly both in the carrying | | | | architraves. The exact trimmings needing removal |
| out of them, and the fact that they carry no repair bill | | | | varies from home to home and can only be |
| as all invasive inspections do, these tools need to be | | | | determined on site once the construction methods are |
| considered. They are thermal inspection and | | | | ascertained. This method will generally not reveal the |
| microwave inspection. | | | | extent of termite damage. |
| Techniques for invasive termite inspection | | | | - Cutting of gyprock to reveal termite workings and |
| - Use of a borer scope to determine if termite mudding | | | | damage |
| is present | | | | Where it is required that exacting measurement of |
| A borer scope is a piece of equipment that has either | | | | termite damage to timber be ascertained, then the |
| an optical lense arrangement or a camera and cable | | | | removal of gyprock usually up to a height of around |
| arrangement on a long flexible cable/tube that can be | | | | 300 mm is the best way to meet this. This method will |
| inserted into a cavity to allow viewing inside. Generally | | | | usually be employed with the help of thermal imaging |
| speaking in a house, this will require holes to be drilled | | | | and moisture meters to reduce the amount of |
| into the walls to allow access of the lense between | | | | damage occasioned to walls, however the only true |
| the wall studs. Mostly the holes will need to be drilled | | | | way to account for all of the termite damage is to |
| between each wall stud approximately | | | | keep cutting until no more termite mud packing or |
| 450mm-600mm apart around all walls that are of | | | | termite damage can be found. |
| special interest, and in some cases the entire house. | | | | |