How to Check for Termites Without Guessing

Note the room or exterior location, date, visible change and any nearby moisture or building work. Take a photograph from a safe distance if useful.

Do not tap, puncture, scrape, remove timber, open a wall or apply a pesticide to test for termites; do not assume that one sign confirms an infestation or that no visible sign proves absence.

If you rent, notify the owner or property manager in writing and keep a copy. If you own the property, ask an appropriately qualified pest professional about an inspection. Provide previous inspection reports and explain any renovations, moisture issues or inaccessible areas. Do not enter a confined or unsafe space.

Before booking, verify the provider’s relevant qualifications or authorisation with the local regulator. Ask which areas can be accessed, what limitations apply, what report will be supplied and whether treatment is a separate decision. A visual inspection may not access concealed spaces; ask the professional to explain limitations in writing.

NSW residents can consult NSW Health public-health pest information for general public-health context; it does not identify termites at a property or provide a site-specific treatment plan.

Inspection, chemical treatment, timber replacement, moisture correction and building repair are different work. Do not accept a treatment recommendation as proof of structural safety or a repair as confirmation that all termite activity is absent. Seek an independent building professional if structural damage is suspected.

Dirt2Tidy arranges pest-control services through subcontractors across operating cities. This does not confirm a termite inspector, licence, inspection report, treatment, property coverage or appointment for a particular address. The provider, scope, credentials, price and date must be verified before booking; no termite-free guarantee is offered.