Woman says termites from electrical room outside flat caused over $8,000 in furniture damage
A Choa Chu Kang resident says termites originating from an electrical room located outside her unit has caused more than $8,000 in damage to her furniture - and fears there will be further damage to her home if the issue is not properly resolved.
Ms Tan, who resides in a five-room flat at Block 619 Choa Chu Kang North Road 7, told Shin Min Daily News that several years ago, termites were found to have infested the electrical room near her unit, damaging its wooden door.
After the 68-year-old contacted the Marsiling-Yew Tee Town Council, an exterminator was engaged and the door replaced with an aluminium one.
Spent over $8,000 replacing furniture
Earlier this year, however, Ms Tan discovered signs of termite damage on another wooden door near her unit, as well as her shoe cabinet and TV and kitchen cabinets.
As the shoe cabinet was placed right outside her flat, she then suspected that the termites had not been fully exterminated and had moved into the cabinet and her home.
"I first discovered a lot of sawdust underneath the shoe cabinet. When I cleared it out, it reappeared the next day. I removed the wooden boards and discovered the interior was completely hollowed out," said Ms Tan.
She then hired an exterminator, who found termite nests of various sizes hidden beneath the TV cabinet in the living room and under the kitchen cabinets. The affected furniture had to be thrown away and cost more than $8,000 to be replaced.
"When we dismantled the TV cabinet, we discovered a termite nest about 20-centimetres long. We were terrified. Even the sockets and electrical wires were infested by termites."
Ms Tan added that she had asked the authorities to check the electrical box for termites several times.
"Pest control companies can't inspect government facilities. If there are still termites in the electrical room, the new furniture that I have spent good money on might be damaged."
Month-long renovation
Frequent pest control visits and renovation work disrupted the Tan family's daily routines for about a month, leaving them confined to their rooms and forcing them to eat out every day.
"I used to cook every day, but the kitchen cabinets are damaged. If they're not replaced, they could fall and injure someone," said Ms Tan, who lives with her husband and three children.
Even though the town council has since replaced a termite-damaged door near a fire riser, Ms Tan said that traces of termites were still visible at other risers.
While no other residents have reported termite issues, some have expressed concern. Mara, 53, said that the termite problem seemed to have only surfaced after the pandemic.
"Authorities previously sent people to inspect the electrical boxes and risers, but I can still see traces of termites inside. I'm also worried that termites will spread to my home," she told Shin Min.
Town Council began termite extermination after receiving report
A spokesperson for the Marsiling-Yew Tee Town Council told The New Paper that they "regret" learning about the resident's situation.
Since being notified of the issue last June, the town council engaged a pest control team to inspect the common areas. No other signs of termite activity were found, and there have been no other reports of termite problems in the block.
Treatment was carried out at the adjacent electrical riser door on two occasions within the same week.
Following the resident's recent feedback, additional precautionary treatments were conducted at the same site. Two rounds of treatments were administered as preventive measures, although no termites were found.
"As part of our continued efforts to ensure a clean and well-maintained estate, we have replaced the existing riser door with a new aluminum door," said the town council.
Editor's note: This article, which was adapted from Shin Min Daily News, has been updated to reflect a statement from the Marsiling-Yew Tee Town Council.
