Termite and timber pest risk in Truganina
Subterranean termites are found across much of Melbourne's west. Whether a particular part of Truganina is a declared termite area is set by its council, so the practical questions for an owner are what protection was installed and whether the house is inviting attack.
Declared areas
Victorian councils can declare areas where termite management is required for new buildings. Truganina falls under two councils, so confirm the status for your lot with Wyndham or Melton's building department.
What protection was installed
A new home should have a durable termite management notice in the meter box. We have recorded it missing at a Truganina fixing stage, which is a completion item for the builder.
Moisture invites them
Termites need moisture. Leaking gutters, failed sealant and water damp at the base of walls are conducive conditions we record often. On one Truganina build, a gutter was leaking at its joints during the fixing stage.
Keep the gap at the base of the wall
Cladding needs 150mm clearance to soil and weep holes need to sit above adjacent ground. That gap lets you see termite leads. Landscaping often closes it.
When buying
A timber pest inspection under AS 4349.3 reports evidence of termites and conducive conditions. It cannot guarantee a house is pest free, but it tells you what to deal with.
More about Truganina
- Building a new home in Truganina: stages, sites and common faults
- Buying a house in Truganina: prices, housing age and what to check
- Truganina's growth: precinct plans, population and what is still coming
- Permits, councils and building disputes in Truganina
- Truganina ground: basalt clay, slab design and why houses crack
- What our inspectors find in Truganina homes
- Truganina site conditions: water, wind and planning overlays
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Truganina. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
