Termite prevention checklist for Byron Bay homes

To prevent termites, take away the two things that draw them to a house: damp timber and an easy, hidden path from the soil to the frame. In practice that means fixing leaks, keeping garden beds and mulch clear of the walls, stopping timber from touching the ground and leaving any treated soil around the house alone. None of it replaces a professional inspection at least once a year, but it makes your house a harder target in between.

The checklist below is written for an owner with a spare weekend and a torch. Each item has a short reason so you can decide what matters most at your place. It covers what you can do yourself. Booking a routine termite inspection and choosing a protection system are separate jobs, linked at the end.

Why does a Byron Bay house need a termite routine?

Byron Shire Council describes a mean temperature of 23.7 degrees, with high rainfall between January and May and March the wettest month. Warm, wet ground suits subterranean termites, which travel from the soil into timber. CSIRO notes that some termites build protective tunnels between the nest and their food, so they can reach a house without ever being seen in the open. A routine takes away the damp spots and the hidden routes that make that easy.

The checklist

Outside the house

1. Pull garden beds and mulch back from the walls. The hipages termite guide advises keeping garden beds and mulch at least 15 cm away from the foundation. Built-up soil and mulch hide termite entry and can bridge over the treated zone or the slab edge where an inspector needs to look.
2. Move firewood and spare timber away from the house. hipages suggests keeping firewood and extra timber away from the building. A stack against a wall or under the deck is food sitting next to the frame.
3. Check timber that touches the soil. Fence posts, garden edging, deck posts, steps and old sleepers in contact with the ground are easy entry points. hipages recommends that fence posts, stairs and decking are not in direct contact with soil. Where you cannot change it now, note it for the inspector.
4. Remove old stumps and buried timber. Tree stumps, formwork left from building and offcuts buried in garden beds can feed a colony close to the house. Dig out what you can reach.
5. Leave treated soil alone. Byron Shire Council’s sample Termite Risk Management Notice warns that disturbing or covering the treated soil in contact with the building may leave it open to termite attack. Before you dig a new bed, lay a path or pour a slab against the house, ask whether there is a soil barrier there.
6. Look for mud tracks on piers and walls. Walk the outside walls and, on a raised house, each pier and stump. Thin mud tubes running up from the ground are the protective tunnels CSIRO describes. Do not break them; photograph them and book an inspection.

Water and drainage

7. Fix leaking taps and hoses. hipages lists repairing damaged pipes and maintaining drainage among the main prevention steps, because termites are drawn to damp areas. A tap that drips onto the same patch of soil for months creates the conditions they look for.
8. Check the hot water overflow and the air conditioner drain. Both often drip straight onto soil beside the wall. Pipe them away from the house or onto a hard surface that drains.
9. Clear gutters and downpipes. An overflowing gutter dumps water against the wall and into the subfloor. Make sure downpipes connect to the stormwater and are not discharging at the footings.
10. Keep subfloor vents open. Blocked vents trap moisture under the floor. Clear plants, soil, stored items and mesh clogged with debris so air moves through.

After heavy rain or a flood

11. Check the subfloor once the water drops. Look for standing water, damp soil and wet timber under the house, and note any spots that stay wet for days. The NSW SES local flood information for Byron describes Mullumbimby as highly prone to flooding where Mullumbimby Creek meets the Brunswick River, and says heavy local rain can cause flash flooding around parts of Ocean Shores. The Ocean Shores area page covers that part of the Shire. Wherever you are, a subfloor that stays wet after a wet season deserves a closer look.
12. Replace soil or mulch that washed against the house. Heavy rain can wash soil and mulch up the wall above the slab edge or over the treated zone. Rake it back.

Inside the house

13. Look under sinks and around wet areas. Clear the cupboards under the kitchen and bathroom sinks and check for damp, soft timber or swelling. A slow leak inside a cabinet is a common hidden damp spot.
14. Keep the roof void and subfloor accessible. Inspectors need to reach the roof manhole and the subfloor entry. Move stored boxes away from them and away from garage walls so the wall bases can be seen.
15. Notice the small changes. Doors or windows that suddenly stick, paint that bubbles, or skirting that sounds hollow when tapped can all have other causes, but they are worth noting. The guide to signs of termites explains what each one may mean.

Paperwork

16. Find your Termite Risk Management Notice. Byron Shire Council’s sample notice says it should be covered in a durable material and fixed in a prominent place such as the meter box or a kitchen cupboard. It records the method of termite management, the installation date and, for a chemical barrier, the life expectancy. Check the dates.
17. Keep every inspection report and treatment record together. A dated file shows when the house was last checked, what was found and what product was used. It also helps if you sell, and it lets the next inspector compare.
18. Diary the next inspection. The council’s notice states that AS 3660.1 recommends a regular, competent inspection of the building for termite activity at least every twelve months. hipages notes that many experts suggest spring or early summer.

What should you never do yourself?

Do not	Why
Spray insect killer on termites or mud tubes	The inspector needs to see live activity as it is to judge where the colony is and what treatment fits
Break open damaged timber to see what is inside	The inspector learns more from undisturbed workings, and you can weaken a member that is already damaged
Dig trenches or lay paving against the house without checking for a barrier	You can break a treated zone without knowing it was there
Assume a new house needs nothing	A system put in during construction still needs the yearly inspection the notice describes
Throw away the termite notice or old reports	The next inspector and any future buyer will want them

How do you know the checklist is working?

You should see a drier subfloor, a clear strip of ground around the footings, nothing timber touching soil and a notice in the meter box with dates you understand. What the checklist cannot tell you is whether termites are already in the frame. Only an inspection with access to the subfloor, roof void and wall bases can do that.

When should you call a professional?

Book an inspection if any of these apply:

• You found mud tubes, damaged timber or discarded wings during the checklist.
• Your last inspection was more than twelve months ago, or you have no record of one.
• The termite notice shows a chemical barrier near or past its stated life.
• You are planning landscaping, an extension or new paving against the house.

A routine termite inspection is the starting point for most owners. If the house has no protection system, or the existing one is old, the termite barriers page covers the preventive options. Any inspection or treatment is carried out by the independent local provider your enquiry goes to, who quotes you directly; this site only passes the enquiry on. If you already know what you need, you can book a termite check through the enquiry form.

Next step

Use what you found on the checklist to brief the inspector. In the enquiry, put your suburb, whether the house is on piers or a slab, which items on the list you could not fix (timber in soil, a leaking overflow, a blocked vent), any mud tubes or damage with photos, and the method and date written on your termite notice. That lets the provider plan the visit and price it properly, so send your termite prevention enquiry with those notes attached.

Send a job enquiry