Termite Chemical Treatments for Termite Control
The technology of non repellents such as Navigator SC is an advancement over other termite insecticides that are only repellent barriers such as Talstar P, Cyper TC or Permethrin 36 %.
With termiticides, the smallest of gaps in the treated soil can be detected and exploited by the termites to gain entry into the building. This is a major shortcoming of the more traditional chemicals used for termite control.
An Overview of Termite Chemicals -Termiticides
For many years, the traditional method of controlling subterranean termites was to apply a liquid pesticide, known as a termiticide, to the soil. This chemical treatment relied on the application of a chemical barrier around and beneath the structure designed to block all possible routes of termite entry. Any termites attempting to penetrate through the treated soil were either killed or repelled.
However, there are many obstacles to forming such a barrier. Many possible termite entry points are hidden behind walls, floor coverings, and other obstructions.
Even where access for termite treatment is possible, it is difficult to uniformly wet soil and achieve thorough coverage. A typical "barrier" treatment may involve hundreds of gallons of solution injected into the ground along the foundation, beneath concrete slabs, and within foundation walls. Considering that termites can tunnel through small untreated gaps in the soil as thin as a pencil lead, it is understandable why the chemical liquid termite treatments have failed to correct termite problems at times.
Most termiticides are not as stable in the soil as termiticides that were manufactured prior to 1989. Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides (termiticides) like chlordane, aldrin, lindane, etc. were known to have tremendous stability in soils and lasted a lot longer than the present termiticides; these same qualities that made them good termiticides also made them environmentally unsafe. Chlordane got the bad reputation from wide misuse and was taken off the market in the USA.
There are several different insecticides currently used by pest control operators for termite soil treatments. All are safe and effective when used according to label directions. The insecticides remain effective in the soil for approximately 5 to 10 years. Each product has slight advantages and disadvantages.
Effective termite treatments require a great volume of termiticide. For example, a single-story house that is 1200 sq. ft. (40' x 30') can require 112 gallons of diluted termiticide just to treat the soil along the foundation walls (inside and out). The total gallons needed may exceed 150 gallons depending upon the construction of the house.
Termites "Bite" into Pocketbook by Barb Ogg, PhD, Extension Educator, Lancaster County Extension Office and Dennis Ferraro, Extension Educator, Douglas County Extension Office, talks about the amount of termiticide needed to do the job correctly.
The physical and chemical nature of the soil surrounding your home can impact the effectiveness of the chemical's stability with respect to time. Soil clay content, pH, Organic matter content, particularly organic carbon content will greatly influence the rate of breakdown of the termiticide in soil.
You can consult your local land grant extension entomologist to evaluate your soil. Soil samples can be inexpensive, some may be free, allowing you a more informed choice.
Baiting for termites, although more expensive, may be a better alternative.
For an excellent article: Fate of Insecticides Used for Termite Control in Soil, by Shripat T. Kamble Extension Specialist, Univ. of Nebraska, covers the different soil conditions affecting current termiticides.
Controlling Termites - liquid barrier termite treatments
Pre Treatment:
Pre Construction Termite Treatment of Structures
Homes and other buildings can be pretreated to protect them against termite attack at the time of construction. All exposed wood can be treated easily with Timbor, it will last the life of the wood.
Foundational walls and piers
After the footings are poured, and the foundational walls/ piers have been constructed, apply the termiticide such as Navigator SC. Make a trench in the soil about 6-12 inches wide and 6 inches deep adjacent to the foundation.
Soil on both sides of the exposed foundational walls and soil surrounding should be soaked down to the foundation footing at the labeled rate.
Apply at the diluted rate. Poured in with a watering can or bucket(5 gallons) is easier than using a sprayer, pouring 4 gallons per 10 linear feet. Pour the finished solution in the trench covering 10 linear feet. Once the trench is filled with 4 gallons of the finished mix, cover the trench back with the dirt that was removed. Repeat for the next 10 linear feet. No need to dig the trench any deeper than the top of the footing.
Soil at the bottom of the trench can be loosened with a spade or iron bar to allow further penetration.
For outside basement walls (where the footing is deep) most pest control operators apply the chemical by injecting it along the foundation. They inject it thru a hollow rod attached at the end of the hose in place of a soil nozzle. This technique is called rodding. The result is a continuous chemical barrier from footing to surface.
This should be applied to both the inside and outside of the foundation and also around piers, chimney bases, pipes, conduits, and other structures in contact with the soil.
Use at the rate of 4 gallons per 10 linear feet. The diluted termiticide should be mixed in with the soil, as it replaced
Types of Slabs
- Floating Slabs With Floating slabs the fundation wall rests on a poured concrete footing. The slab is poured after the foundation has been completed.
- Monolithic Slabs With Monolithic slabs, the footing and the slab are all one piece of concrete.
- Suspended Slabs Suspended slabs rest on the foundation wall. These are supported on the edges
- Also be sure to trench and treat around sewer pipes, conduits and all other structural members in contact with the soil.
- The trench should be as deep as the top of the footing.
- Mix the termiticide with the soil as it is replaced.
- The State regulations differ state to state on treatment and drilling activity required.
- Construction Considerations in Termite Control
- Changing the soil along the foundation such as digging or removal of treated soil can encourage termites to your home.
- Disturbing the termite treatment may void any termite warranty that you may have on your home.
- An excellent article about renovations and home construction by Michael Waldvogel, North Carolina Entomology Extension Specialist, can be found at : Termite tips-constructions
- Construction Considerations in Termite Control
- Changing the soil along the foundation such as digging or removal of treated soil can encourage termites to your home.
- Disturbing the termite treatment may void any termite warranty that you may have in your home.
- An excellent article about renovations and home construction by Michael Waldvogel, North Carolina Entomology Extension Specialist, can be found at : Termite tips-constructions
For effective pretreatment termite proofing, much of the chemical barrier needs to put under the concrete slabs. Obviously it is easier to put out the barrier termite treatment BEFORE a slab has been poured. After it has been poured, it will need to be drilled, and a chemical injected under the slab to seal off termite entry points. This is not a "do it yourself project".
Apply a diluted termiticide such Navigator SC at the rate of 4 gallons per 10 sq. feet, covering the square footage.
Along both sides of the foundational walls and interior foundational walls and plumbing, apply this diluted rate at the rate of 4 gallons per 10 linear feet.
Termite Renovation and Construction Considerations
Post Construction Termite Treatment:
A thorough inspection is the first and most important step. Calling in a professional pest control service may be necessary, as their experience can locate the specific areas in your structure where termite attack is likely to occur.
Basement construction may require treatment which injects termiticides into the soil through holes drilled in the basement floor at regular intervals.
Crawl space treatment also involves trenching or rodding soil along the foundation walls and around piers and pipes, then applying termiticides to the soil.
Dig narrow trenches along both the inside and outside of foundation walls and around piers and chimney bases. Termiticides such as Taurus SC should then be applied at the rate of 4 gallons per 10 linear feet.
Other Termite Problems
In certain areas of the country you may encounter different types of termites, such as Formosan, damp wood, dry wood, etc. If your home is infested with one of these termites, it may require different or more extensive treatment procedures including wood treatment and fumigation.
Other Termite Problems
In certain areas of the country you may encounter different types of termites, such as Formosan, damp wood, dry wood, etc. If your home is infested with one of these termites, it may require different or more extensive treatment procedures including wood treatment and fumigation.
Wood Termite Treatments
Treating the wood is an alternative to soil treatments.
However, it must be emphasized that spot treating the wood is not a complete termite treatment in that it will not stop the termites from attacking the wood in other areas.
One treatment option uses the chemical disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT). Common ones are Boracare and Timbor.
Both products are borate-based and should only be applied to untreated wood. Important areas for treatments could be in the crawlspace and parts of the framing in a house under construction.
Data provided by product manufacturers indicate that termites do not extend their tubes over treated wood nor do they cause any structural damage.
