Active subterranean termite workings
MajorWhat you may see: Mud tubes, live insects, fresh mud packing, or clear workings in timber.
Risk: Ongoing loss of structural timber strength — urgent specialist follow-up.
Termites & timber pests
How termites damage a house
Termites feed on cellulose in timber quietly, often from the ground up. By the time you see surface clues, framing, floors, or joinery may already be compromised.
Why it matters
In Greater Sydney and much of NSW, subterranean termites are a real structural risk. They can travel from soil into the building through cracks, weep holes, garden beds against walls, bridging of ant caps, and timber touching the ground. A thorough timber pest inspection is how buyers and owners learn what is visible and accessible — before settlement or before damage becomes a crisis.
How a Sitescop inspector helps protect you
Expert inspection is how buyers and owners catch timber pest risk while they still have options.
- We give you evidence-based findings before you buy or renovate — not guesses after settlement.
- We rate significance in plain English so you can negotiate, budget, or walk away with facts.
- We separate inspection findings from treatment: if activity is found, you get a clear next-step path to licensed pest management.
- Combined building & pest visits connect structural defects with timber pest risk in one report set.
What we look for
Rated the way we discuss findings in reports — Major, Minor, Safety, or Further investigation.
Historic / inactive termite damage
Further investigationWhat you may see: Old galleries, hollowed timber, past repairs without a clear management history.
Risk: Structure may be weakened; may need engineering or pest management review.
Conditions conducive to timber pests
MajorWhat you may see: Damp subfloors, timber–soil contact, bridging of barriers, stored timber under the house.
Risk: Increases chance of future attack even if no live activity is found today.
Inaccessible areas not inspected
Further investigationWhat you may see: Locked voids, sealed cavities, unsafe roof or subfloor access.
Risk: Activity can hide where we cannot see — limitations must be clear in the report.
Protection checklist
What lower-risk conditions tend to look like.
- No visible active workings in accessible areas
- No obvious timber–soil contact or bridged ant caps where visible
- Subfloor and roof voids reasonably dry and accessible
- Drainage directing water away from the building
- Clear report of what was and was not accessible
How Sitescop inspects
- Systematically inspect accessible subfloor, walls, roof framing, and timber joinery
- Look for mud tubes, hollow timber, frass, blistering, and conducive moisture
- Use lighting, sounding, moisture assessment, and thermal imaging where they add value
- Photograph representative findings and state access limitations plainly
Technology & knowledge
- Thermal imaging to highlight anomalous temperature patterns that may warrant closer checks
- Moisture assessment in damp or stained zones
- High-output lighting and photo documentation for the report
Photo examples
Educational imagery for this topic. We will swap in anonymised on-site timber pest photos as you supply them — never publishing client-identifying details.
Ground-level voids and piers — common paths from soil into the structure
Timber framing over dirt — where moisture and timber pests often interact
Combined building and pest focus protects both structure and timber
FAQ
Do termites only attack old houses?
No. New and renovated homes can be at risk if moisture, landscaping, or construction details create pathways from soil into timber.
Can Sitescop guarantee a house is termite-free?
No responsible inspector can guarantee that. We report what is found in accessible areas and list limitations. Concealed activity can exist where access is restricted.