Water around the house and termite risk
Damp soil at the slab edge is what draws termites and moves slabs.
In short: Condensate lines, relief valves and poor falls keep the ground wet right where termites enter and clay soils swell.
Why moisture matters
Termites need moisture and soft access. A damp strip of soil against the slab gives them both.
Common sources
Air conditioner condensate dripping at the wall, hot water relief valves discharging beside the house and ground that falls back toward the slab.
Weep holes
Weep holes buried by garden beds or paving stop the wall cavity draining and can give termites a hidden path in.
Slab movement too
On Beveridge clay, uneven wetting also drives slab movement and cracking.
Simple fixes
Pipe outlets to a drain, regrade soil away from the house and keep garden beds below the weep holes.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Beveridge. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
