In this blog we will take a look at the secret place termites could be hiding in your hotel, and what you can do about them.
Pest control is a huge concern for hotel owners and managers, and it can negatively affect the hotel’s reputation and ratings if left unattended. Bed bugs, cockroaches and rats are usually top of mind for hoteliers, however, I’d like to shed light on an often overlooked pest that could cost the business large sums of money: termites!
Did you know that termites cost US property owners an estimated $5 billion annually? This shocking fact is one that I always refer to when addressing the importance of termite control. This cost to businesses mainly occurs due to the number of structural damage termites can cause to a building – damage that poses huge health and safety issues for customers and staff due to the compromised structural integrity of the property.
Here are 4 termite hotspots and the secret place termites could be hiding in your hotel:
Hotspot 1: Under your hotel’s foundation
Certain termite species, like the Subterranean termite, live underground and in their search for wood, they may burrow through a hotel’s foundation – damaging it in the process. This is a slow process, so people often only spot them once an infestation has already reached dangerous proportions.
To help prevent this issue before you start building, a pre-construction treatment can be carried out on the area on which you will build your hotel. This service involves applying a termiticide to the soil during the construction phase of your building.
What this does is kill off any termites trying to gain access to your new building. When administered by Rentokil the service comes with a 5-year guarantee. Unlike post-construction treatment, this solution is not invasive.
Hotspot 2: In your hotel’s basement
Many hotels have basements or storage areas where unused or broken furniture gets stored for future use or repair. This creates the perfect area for a feeding party for termites as there’s often plenty of food i.e wood that isn’t used for long periods of time. Furthermore, basements are easily accessible to subterranean termites.
Hotspot 3: The hotel roof
Another hotspot for termites is your hotel’s roof. Termites are often found chewing away at materials such as roof trusses, beams and ceilings because many buildings use wood and drywall in their roofing and ceiling construction. This is why roofs and ceilings caving in on people is quite a common and unfortunate phenomenon when you have a termite infestation.
It’s worth noting that buildings that use other materials such as metal and tile don’t usually have such issues.
Hotspot 4: Hotel doors, cornices and walls
These are the more commonly expected areas to find termites, however, that doesn’t make it any easier to spot them. People often only notice once the damage is already done and there is a cost to the business.
The tip we often share with people wanting to know if they have an infestation is to take note of the state of the doors, cornices and walls. Wood that has a termite infestation is usually thin and papery – and if it’s in a worse state your cleaning crew might find sawdust and wood chips on the floor near the wooden surface (as seen in the image below).
Avoid termites owning a spot in your business.
Not so honourable mentions…
Other termite hotspots of which to be aware are:
- Pool Decks
- Wooden floors
- Wooden furniture
- Along the perimeter of the property
Hotel pest control
Much like other pests that hoteliers have to deal with – such as bed bugs and cockroaches – it’s quite rare to find termites out in the open, which means you need a trained eye to spot them.
We recommend you get a professional to inspect the site at least once a year to ensure your business is protected from the cost associated with termites. Speak with one of our trained experts about pests in your hotel today to find out what solutions we can offer.
