September home maintenance is about termites. As the weather warms, termites get busy, so this month you book the professional inspection and make sure nothing gives them a hidden way in. The checks follow the printed calendar and take about an hour, plus the inspector's visit.
C18 - 6 Month Maintenance Checklist
$59.00 AUD
Checklist Type: Minor
Form Factor: Fillable, print-ready PDF (A4, 19 pages) with a maintenance calendar and log
When to use: After handover: your first six months and ongoing home maintenance
A 110-point home maintenance checklist with a calendar and log. Plan preventative maintenance, find small problems early and keep your warranties in good order.
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This month's checks
1Book your yearly termite inspection
Termites can eat the frame for months without showing on the surface. Some termite warranties are void if you miss the yearly inspection.
- Find the durable notice, usually in the meter box. It names your system, the install date and how often it should be inspected.
- Look for the last inspection sticker in the meter box or under the kitchen sink.
- Book a pest manager now if it's due or overdue.
No record of an inspection in the last year, or a notice you can't find.
It's due. Only a QBCC-licensed termite management contractor should do it. You can check their licence on the QBCC website.
NCC Housing Provisions Part 3.4.3 requires the durable notice to show the maker's or installer's recommended inspection frequency. QBCC's termite advisory notes recommend a professional inspection at least every 12 months, more often in high-risk areas.
2Keep the termite barrier clear
Most termite attacks come in at the edge of the house. Garden beds, mulch, paving or a water tank against the wall can bridge the barrier and hide termite tunnels.
- Walk around the house with a torch.
- Look for soil, mulch, paving, timber, firewood or storage against the slab edge or walls.
- Check the weep holes aren't covered by garden beds or paving.
- Pull back anything that's built up, and move stored items away from the walls.
Mud tubes on the slab edge or walls, a slab edge you can no longer see, or new paving laid against the house.
You find mud tubes. Don't break them open or spray them. Call a licensed pest manager straight away.
QBCC's Standards and Tolerances Guide (section 17.3) says most systems rely on a 75 mm visual inspection zone. Section 17.1 makes regular inspection the owner's job, and damage from a bridged barrier isn't a builder's defect. QBCC's advisory notes recommend keeping 75 mm between the bottom of any weep hole and the garden bed or paving.
3Trim trees and branches back from the roof and walls
Branches give termites, rats and possums a bridge to the roof. They also fill the gutters and can damage the roof in a storm.
- Stand back from the house and look for branches touching or hanging over the roof, gutters or walls.
- Trim small branches from the ground with a pole pruner, or from a properly set-up ladder in dry, calm weather.
- Note any large trees close to the house.
Branches resting on the roof, leaves packing the gutters, or a big tree within its own height of the house.
A branch is near powerlines or the service line to your house, or the tree is large. Use a qualified arborist, and never cut near powerlines yourself.
The C18 checklist suggests keeping trees about 1 to 1.5 times their mature height from the house. QBCC's Standards and Tolerances Guide (section 3.1) says the builder isn't responsible for foundation movement caused by trees the owner plants after handover.
4Clean the rainwater tank screens and first flush
Blocked screens let leaves and dirt into the tank, and a blocked first flush stops working. You get dirty water and a tank pump that works harder.
- Clear the leaf screens on the tank inlet and any rain heads on the downpipes.
- Open the first flush device as the maker says, let the dirty water drain out, then close it.
- Look for leaks at the tank pipework and fittings.
- Check the tank pump starts and stops normally.
Leaves in the tank, smelly or discoloured water, a pump that keeps cycling, or leaking joints.
The pipework leaks or the pump won't run. Call a licensed plumber.
5Clean the rangehood filters, dryer vent and dishwasher filter
Greasy rangehood filters and a lint-filled dryer vent are fire risks. A dirty dishwasher filter leaves food on the dishes and smells.
- Soak the rangehood filters in hot water and degreaser, or put them through the dishwasher if the maker allows. Dry them before refitting.
- Clear the lint screen and the dryer's exhaust vent.
- Take out the dishwasher filter, rinse it and refit it.
Grease dripping from the filters, clothes taking longer to dry, or a hot dryer.
The dryer is overheating or the rangehood fan isn't working. Call the appliance service agent or a licensed electrician.
6Check the roof space for pests
Rats chew wiring, possums foul the insulation, and birds block vents and gutters. Catching them early limits the damage.
- Open the manhole and look through the roof space with a torch. Don't walk across the ceiling.
- Look for droppings, nesting material, chewed cables and displaced insulation.
- Listen at night for scratching or thumping.
- From the ground, look for gaps at the eaves and roof edges where animals could get in.
Droppings, chewed wiring, a smell, or noise at night.
You see chewed wiring (call a licensed electrician) or have animals living in the roof. Use a licensed pest manager. Possums can only be released close to where they were caught, so a pest controller will remove them and help seal the entry.
Where you live changes the timing
Your September home maintenance shifts a little with the climate.
- North (QLD, NT, northern WA, northern NSW). Storm season prep starts now. Book the roofer or gutter cleaner early, before they fill up.
- South (temperate areas). Spring is when termites become active again. Bushfire prep also continues this month.
Every month, as well
Alongside your September home maintenance, do the five monthly checks:
- Test every smoke alarm with the test button.
- Clean the air-con filters while you're using it.
- Check wet areas for mould and run the exhaust fans.
- Walk around and note new cracks, leaks, stains or sticking doors.
- Record what you did in your maintenance log.
The short version
September home maintenance means booking the termite inspection, keeping the barrier and slab edge visible, and cutting off the bridges pests use: trees, garden beds and gaps into the roof. Our C18 6 Month Maintenance checklist covers each check in more detail, and the Ultimate Guide to Termite Barriers explains how your system works.
Next month: October home maintenance.
FAQs
Why is the termite inspection part of September home maintenance?
Termites become more active as the weather warms. Booking now means problems are found before the busiest months, and your warranty record stays complete.
Can I do the termite inspection myself?
Do your own checks between visits, but the yearly inspection should be done by a QBCC-licensed termite management contractor. Some warranties need it.
What if my garden already covers the slab edge?
Pull the soil and mulch back so the edge and weep holes are visible again. If paving or a slab now sits against the house, ask a pest manager whether the barrier needs work.
Can I remove a possum from the roof myself?
It's safer and simpler to use a licensed pest controller. In Queensland, a trapped possum has to be released close to where it was caught, so sealing the entry point matters as much as removing it.
