Protecting Your Home from Termites

Meet Your New Friend- The Subterranean Termite (also known as ‘white ant’)

“Hi there! Cellulose and anything that is wood is my favorite food and I eat non-stop for 24 hours a day! I easily crawl through a crack that is just 1.5mm small to get into your home from below ground. You may think that I am a small ant yet what my entire colony and I can do is to eat from inside out your home structures and fittings. By then, it will be too late for you.”

“And yes, I am one of the most feared pests by home owners- a subterranean termite, also known as ‘white ant’.”

White ants are silent destroyers, it may become too late when you start to notice them. Termites damage property material which are based on cellulose- documents, furniture and door frames. Some items which are damaged are too valuable, and may not be replaceable. And these include documents and buildings with heritage value. Termite damage can be costly to repair and replace.

3 Common Termite Groups in Singapore

Generally, there are 3 common termite groups in Singapore. They are drywood termites, subterranean termites and dampwood termites. The most common type of termite predominant in Singapore is the coptotermes sp. (a species of the subterranean termite).

The drywood termite colony is normally found in drywood, often in the structural timber of buildings. Drywood termites are also less dependent on need for moisture and need no access to the soil.

Subterranean termites build their nest in the soil and are very dependent on soil for moisture. They construct mud tubes to avoid getting dried up (desiccation) when looking for food in open air. The coptotermes sp. subterranean termite species is considered to be very destructive and the most common cause of damages in houses.

The dampwood termites are very dependent on moisture and feed on decayed wood such as old tree stumps, rotting logs and pieces of buried timbers.

Did you know? A termite queen, depending on its species, can lay up to 30,000 eggs in one day! Termites are also social insect, meaning they live together in colonies.

Learn to Identify Signs of Termite Infestation & Hot Spots in Your Home

What do termites look like? Termites are often mistaken for ants and often it is too late to discover that they are actually termites when the damages to homes have already been made. One useful tip to identify termites versus ants is that the middle section of its waist is much thicker than those of ants; ants have very thin waists.

Here are some tell-tale signs of termites which indicate presence of termites in house:

• Mud tubes on wall
• Discarded wings of flying termites
• Papery feeling or hollow sounding wood
• Termite droppings (for drywood termites, they excrete brown-coloured grainy faecal pellets)

There are some hot spots for termites in your home you can learn to identify to check for termite infestation and their activities:

• Doors and Window Frames
• Parquet Flooring
• Store located under staircase
• Roof and Ceiling
• Built In Cabinets

Regular routine inspection by a licensed pest control technician can help to early detect presence of termites. Experienced technicians are able to detect hollow sounds in wood and the sound respond of soldier termites “creaking” sound when tapped. Indication of an infestation is not easily detected by untrained eyes.

Rentokil Pest Control Singapore

Did you know? Most of the insurance companies in Singapore do not cover financial or architecture losses and damages caused by termites. The best way to have yourself covered is by having regular termite inspection done by a licensed pest control company. There are pre construction and post construction preventive or treatment methods available to keep these pests out of your home and be free of them. Drop us an online enquiry today at [email protected] for the types of termite treatment and termite protection Rentokil offers.

If an infestation is left untreated, it can lead to serious damages. Termites cause extensive damage to your home furniture, architectural fittings and parquet flooring. It can cost you from hundreds to thousands of dollars to repair these damages. Having termites in your residential home can also subsequently lower the valuation of your property significantly.

Are Termites Living in Your Home Soil?

Rentokil, the expert in pest control, has stood for effective control ever since we were founded in 1964 in Singapore and 1927 in the UK. With more than 50 years of local brand establishment and global prominence in more than 60 countries, Rentokil is committed to ensuring adequate protection for your business and family through a series of innovative solutions that are safe, effective and responsive.

Termite control is one key aspect of pest control in Singapore. It is an expertise Rentokil has in our pest control services. The Singapore pest control service treatments and landscape have evolved and so have we as we leverage on our extensive knowledge and technical expertise to value-add our customers through professional consultation and recommendations.

Protect you health and your home; let the pest busters do their pest control job now. Drop us an online enquiry at [email protected] for a termite inspection today!

Fun Activity: Have you spotted or seen before the termite mound in our Singapore Botanic Gardens?