'Avoid parquet at balcony area': Man finds hundreds of termites hiding under flat's floor

This is definitely not for the faint of heart.

One man has shared how a dark secret lies underneath a seemingly innocent balcony of a HDB unit in Tampines.

"You would not believe [it]," renovation business owner Oon Zeng Kai said in a TikTok video shared last Saturday (May 20) about the 1,604 sq ft executive apartment he had worked on in February.

When Oon's colleagues removed the wooden flooring, it revealed that hundreds of termites had been living in his client's home all these while.

The flooring was also raised, which indicated that the home owner had likely installed tiles on top of the wooden flooring. 

Speaking to AsiaOne on Monday (May 22), 42-year-old Oon shared that he discovered the termites after the home owner complained seeing "creepy crawlies" around the balcony. 

"We sort of expected them. But we weren't sure how many were there," he said. 

The 40-second clip also showed how Oon's company installed new flooring for the balcony after killing the bugs with insecticide.

"Avoid parquet at balcony area," the TikTok user said, referring to how a wooden flooring is a target for termites.

Oon shared that he had also disposed all timber fittings at the balcony area, adding that the home owner declined his advice to engage a pest control company. 

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@zen.oon/video/7234872464801631490?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7171986325686912514[/embed]

The TikTok video has garnered over 900 likes and 65,000 views.

In the comments, several netizens were taken aback by the sheer number of termites "hiding" inside the house.

"The reason why I have lesser wooden fixtures at home," one of them said. 

Other netizens also shared tips on how to prevent termite infestations.

How to prevent termite infestation

A termite infestation can cause damage to one's home by "eating away" wooden fixtures and furniture.

Older houses that are poorly maintained with high moisture and bad housekeeping practices can attract such pests, according to pest control company Rentokill.

Here is how you can protect your home against termites. 

1. Fix leaking pipes and taps, and keep structures dry.

2. Seal all cracks around utility and water pipes.

3. Install tight fitting and hard to open doors or windows.

4. Remove possible termite food sources, including unused timbre, stumps or debris.

5. Discard termite wings on window sills and floors.

ALSO READ: Hougang resident complains of bugs crawling into flat from insect-infested furniture discarded by neighbour

chingshijie@asiaone.com