Aaa Termite & Pest Control Services

Since establishing our company in 1986 we have vast knowledge when it comes to dealing with termites and have carried out hundreds of timber pest and termite inspection including there management. 1, Tommy Stewart, personally have had over 36 years experience within the pest control industry and AAA have over seventy years combined experience, within the pest control industry between our licensed technicians - Martin Burt and Darren Mathers. We operate our company on codes of practice based on the building inspection, Pestcert code and we are members of the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association. AAA Termite & Pest Control Services are; • Pestcert accredited • a member of the Australian Environmental Association • a licensed company with the States Health Departments • we are licensed with the state Poisons Departments • we are a registered company • insured for public & product liability for $20,000,000 • AAA Termite And Pest Control Services have been established since January 20, 1986 • We employ only fully qualified and Licensed Pest Control Technicians and pay our technicians above award requirements • All reports of treatments will be issued on completion of all advice, treatments and procedures Are pre-purchase pest inspections compulsory for home buyers? Which elements of a home are covered in a pest inspection? A pre purchase pest inspection which includes termites, borers and fungus is not compulsory, although a lot of consumers these days are requesting them. An inspection is highly recommended as statistics state that it is believed every third house is/has or will have a termite problem associated to that site. We are more regularly finding termites in dwellings that we inspect these days compared to the years behind us. You have to understand that in new developed areas the old gum tree’s in the farmers paddocks are been removed and new trees ‘houses’ are been put there place, the termite doesn’t know the difference from a house to a tree and thinks yum new food and off they go and in normal circumstances the home owner doesn’t know that they have termites till damage has been located or reproductive termites ‘alates’ fly out. It seems that some people panic and patch up the damaged areas and put the house on the market to sell and then the new owner is faced with a costly experience in repairs and the management of these destructive pests. The inspection details vary from houses to house although a visual inspection with the help of appropriate aids are carried out to all possible areas of the dwelling which depending on the construction and accessible areas of the dwelling would include: interior and exterior areas, subfloor and ceiling voids, grounds within fifty meters from the dwelling and including but not limiting structures like pergolas, fences, garages, carports, bungalows, landscaping etc. How often should one have a pest inspection? Annual inspections are recommended but the Australian standards advise inspections in high termite areas to be more regular, three, six, nine and twelve monthly. Is a report produced for the homeowner? By law we are also required prior to an inspection to forward the purchases a copy of terms and conditions that does outline the scope of the inspection. All written reports are issued to the client on completion. The report will state areas inspected, duty of care and warn, pest activity or/an damage, In the case of Pre-purchase Timber Pest Inspections or Timber Pest Inspections in accord with AS 4349.3-1998 the Inspection and resulting Report will be confined to reporting on the discovery, or non discovery, of infestation and/or damage caused by subterranean and dampwood termites (white ants), borers of seasoned timber and wood decay fungi (rot), present on the date and time of the Inspection. The report is normally emailed, faxed or delivered on the same day of the services. What are the various pest control techniques that you use? As advised above the inspection is a visual inspection with the use of aids includes but not limited to are: A donger (looks a bit like a walking stick but has a ball on the end for picking up soft damaged timbers etc) A good bright torch. A termatrac (a microwave unit which is designed to pick up movement in areas not able gain access e.g. in wall cavities) A moisture meter (to pick moisture in wall cavities etc) A temperature unit (to pick up possible termite nests and workings) Not only techniques are the question but also the knowledge and experience that technician has in termite, borer and fungus is essential. The question also should be asked are they insured, who with and how much for. Are they a member of the Australian pest managers association and are they accredited by pestcert? Are they up to date with the industry changes etc. Are they safe for children, pets, the environment etc? No equipment used will be in anyway at all being an impact on the environment, public, animals or even our technicians. Otherwise we would not use them ourselves. We like to know not only is our staff not going to be at risk but also our clients, we believe strongly in occupation and health and safety! In terms of pest management, what do builders need to consider? There are a number of different systems on the market designed for the management of termites in dwellings under construction although in Victoria not all councils require a termite system to be put in place. Any system either a termiticide treatment or the installation of shields, reticulated or plastic impregnated and there are other on the market are designed not to stop termites as we all wish they did but are to force the little destructive demons out in the open so during a regular inspection we can pick them up hopefully prior to these cause any damage to the dwelling and then we can work with the owner of the property to organize a suitable means of management and install an effective control method.. What certification do you need to undertake pest control activities? You can these days you can obtain a certificate from companies without to much of a problem but unfortunately can cause a concern in the industry as a piece of paper is a piece of paper and without experience it isn’t worth the ink it is written on. Certificates/licenses are normally issued by the states health department after experiencing a quality/quantity of experience in on and off field education. It has been over thirty three years since I was issued my license and that included two years of night school but when I commenced my company in 1986 I had to sit down and do an exam. And in 2005 I achieved a further move in my license and though pestcert gained their accreditation. Both of our technicians have over twenty years experience in the industry. What do I need to look for in a pest inspection company? Not only techniques are the question but also the knowledge and experience that the pest control technician inspecting your dwelling has a sound knowledge on termites, borers and fungus is essential. The question also should be asked are they insured, who with and how much for? Are they a member of the Australian pest managers association? Are they accredited by pestcert? Are they up to date with the industry changes etc? How might I tell if a home has a pest problem? Well there are a few things to look for - for example termites: Soft or hollow timbers. Mud patches on plaster, timber surfaces. Squeaky or soft at foot floor boards. Sagging roofs. Damp walls Mud leads for example up the subfloor supporting stumps. Eaten out subfloor supporting stumps etc Which pests do you like dealing with the least? I suppose I could say termite management as each dwelling is a challenge as every house and is different but also there are several species of termites and dealing with them at times can be a challenge but best of all knowing that you on completion you can walk away head high knowing that not only have you saved your clients most likely the highest investment they will have in their lifetime but the sanity and concern. Which pests are the most difficult to get rid of? Well all pests at times can be a challenge and I probably would say the termite only because it isn’t a pest that you can walk in once to eradicated or manage, it takes several visits and sometimes over several weeks/months to maximize the results of achievement. Which pests cause the most damage dollar for dollar? Well that’s easy the termite it causes thousand and thousands of dollars a year in the management of repairs left behind after their removal. If at anytime we can be of further assistance then please don’t hesitate to contact us. Thank you Tommy Stewart Why take the risk on your reputation in using a pest control company that is not Pestcert accredited or/and not a member of the Australian pest managers association.