How accurate is a termite risk assessment?

It is a risk profile, not a diagnosis. The questions cover the conditions termites actually use — timber in contact with soil, moisture, subfloor access, previous activity and inspection history — so the result tells you how closely your property matches homes where we find activity. It cannot tell you whether termites are in the wall today. Only a physical inspection can.

Does a high score mean I have termites?

No. A high score means concealed activity would not be surprising and an inspection is overdue rather than optional. Many high-scoring homes are clear; the point is that the risk of missing something is too high to keep waiting.

How often should a Newcastle home be inspected?

Australian Standard AS 3660.2 recommends inspections at least every 12 months, and more often — commonly six-monthly — where there is high pressure, previous activity, or a treatment that needs monitoring. Your inspection report should state when the next one is due.

I found mud tubes. What should I do first?

Do not spray them, scrape them off or disturb the timber. Termites avoid open air, so breaking a tube makes the colony reroute and can push activity deeper into the wall. Photograph it, keep the area clear and arrange an inspection.

Can I do anything to lower my score?

Yes — most of the weighted conditions are fixable. Clear mulch and soil from the wall line, extend downpipes away from footings, ventilate the subfloor, remove timber in contact with the ground, repair leaks and keep the barrier and inspection history current.

Resources · Interactive Tool

Termite Risk Assessment

GPReviewed by Gary Paras, Founder & Senior Pest Management TechnicianLast reviewed 1 October 202620+ Years Experience

Why these ten questions

Termite risk is not about suburb alone. It comes from the conditions a property offers: timber close to the ground, moisture that never dries out, a subfloor nobody can see into, and a gap in inspection history long enough for a colony to arrive and do damage unnoticed.

Each question is weighted by how strongly that condition predicts activity in the homes we inspect. A previous treated infestation and an unprotected property carry the most weight; a newer slab with clear drainage and a current inspection carries almost none. The tool compares your total against the maximum for the questions you have answered, so a partial result is still meaningful — it is simply labelled provisional until all ten are in.

0 of 10 answered

When was the home built?

How is the home supported?

How is the subfloor?

Has there been termite activity or damage here before?

Is any timber in direct contact with soil?

How is drainage around the house?

What sits against the walls outside?

What is immediately around the property?

What termite protection is in place?

When was the last professional termite inspection?

What each band means

Low risk

Your answers describe a home with few of the conditions termites need. That is reassuring, not immunity — every property in the Hunter carries some risk.

Recommended: Annual inspection

Moderate risk

There are conditions here that termites exploit — most commonly moisture, timber near the ground or a gap in inspection history. None of them mean you have termites today.

Recommended: Inspection within 3 months

Elevated risk

Several high-weight conditions are present together — the combination we most often find behind concealed termite damage in older Hunter homes.

Recommended: Inspection as soon as possible

High risk

Your answers describe the profile where concealed activity is genuinely likely. This is not a diagnosis, but it is not a situation to monitor from a distance either.

Recommended: Inspection urgently

Scored across 10 questions. Read the full explanation of what a termite inspection covers or the signs of termite activity.

Termite risk questions

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