I have a new house on a concrete slab. Is my house at risk of termite attack?
Many home owners assume that a concrete slab and external brick walls prevents termites from accessing their home. This is untrue. Termites can gain access over the slab edge and can travel through brick mortar joints and weep holes in external brickwork. They also gain access through cracks in the slab and slab penetrations such as plumbing and electrical wiring. Often homes built on concrete slabs (slab on ground construction) are brick veneer with soft-wood timber wall frames. This timber is located close to ground level and is easily accessed and readily consumed by termites. If the concrete slab edge of the slab is concealed by concrete paths, patios, pavers, garden beds, lawns, foliage, etc then it is possible for termites to gain concealed access into wall frames. They can then cause extensive damage to concealed framing timbers. With a concrete slab home it is imperative that you expose the edge of the slab and ensure that foliage and garden beds do not cover the slab edge. Weep holes (gaps in brickwork designed to drain water from the wall frames) must be kept free of obstructions.