Subterranean termites never work in the open. They travel from soil into your walls and woodwork through covered mud galleries, which is why the first thing most homeowners notice is not an insect but damage — a door frame that sounds hollow, or paint bubbling in a line near the floor.
Catching it at the mud-tube stage instead of the collapsed-plywood stage is the single biggest saving available to you.
The five signs worth checking this weekend
- Thin mud lines or tubes running up skirting, wall corners and the back of wardrobes
- A hollow or papery sound when you tap door frames, window frames and plywood panels
- Blistered or bubbling paint in a narrow band close to the floor
- Discarded wings on window sills and near tube lights, usually after the first rains
- Plywood behind kitchen units or wardrobes that flexes or crumbles under thumb pressure
What termites are actually eating
Termites digest cellulose, so anything paper- or wood-based is food: plywood carcassing, MDF backing sheets, door and window frames, skirting, wooden flooring, stored books and cardboard. Solid teak is attacked more slowly than commercial plywood, but it is not immune.
Damage runs from the inside out, following the grain, which is why a panel can look intact and still be a shell. That also means visible damage always understates the extent of the colony.
How anti-termite treatment works
For an existing building, treatment is post-construction: 12 mm holes are drilled along the wall–floor junction at fixed intervals, a termiticide emulsion is injected under pressure so it forms a continuous barrier in the soil beneath, and the holes are then sealed and finished. Woodwork, frames and skirting are treated separately.
For a building under construction, pre-construction treatment is applied in stages during plinth filling and backfilling, which is cheaper and more effective than any later remedy.
Modern termiticides used indoors are odourless and low-hazard, so the flat stays usable the same day.
Reducing the risk after treatment
- Fix seepage in bathroom and kitchen walls — moist masonry is the entry route
- Keep stored cardboard, books and newspapers off the floor and away from external walls
- Leave a small gap between heavy wooden furniture and damp external walls
- Do not stack construction timber or firewood against the building
- Have the treated perimeter re-inspected inside the warranty period rather than after it lapses
Frequently asked questions
Are the drill holes visible after treatment?
They are sealed and finished flush along the wall–floor line, so they are not noticeable once the work is complete. On tiled skirting the holes go into the grout line wherever possible.
Can I treat termites myself with a hardware-store chemical?
Surface application does not reach the soil barrier a subterranean colony travels through, so it stops the workers you can see and not the nest. It also contaminates the timber, making a later professional treatment harder.
How often should a treated home be checked?
An annual inspection is enough for most flats, and it should happen while the written warranty is still running so any re-treatment is free.