insects

Termite Protection

Termite control – Your questions answered

 

  1. It’s the 21st century, surely chemical termite barriers only use the safest of chemicals…there isn’t anything to worry about, is there?

No, although there is greater monitoring of the use of chemicals nowadays, there are still chemicals that are extremely toxic or toxic for both the environment and your family’s health; the most toxic in common use is Arsenic Trioxide along with the lesser but still toxic Chlorpyrifos and Bifenthrin examples.

  1. Termite barriers are installed by licenced professionals using approved chemicals, how can they be harmful?

Even approved chemical barriers have known health impacts – and the authorities look at the trade off between what is an ‘acceptable risk’ and what chemicals will protect property yet not be too toxic to humans. That doesn’t mean they have no impact as all are toxic in some greater or lesser ways to humans. Especially when they are broadly (and commonly) sprayed under and around houses for termites, spiders and ants. They also have relatively short term life spans 2-5 years and will need to be reapplied. Re-application exposes the family and pets all over again.

  1. I would like a physical termite barrier but my house is already built is there anything I can do?

Unfortunately there isn’t much, physical termite barriers are constructed at the same time as the building or during construction of extensions. Some types can be retrofitted to existing buildings, but this is expensive and not likely to lead to a continuously intact barrier and therefore may not be completely effective.

  1. My home frame is constructed from treated pine does it still need termite protection?

Treated pine is a wood that has been impregnated with a chemical solution to give it long term resistance to aspects such as weathering, rotting, insects and wood destroying organisms like termites. So whilst the treated pine is ‘resistant’ to termites, it is not ‘termite proof’, and can also be used by termites to migrate to places where there is untreated wood or even objects like carpet, books and furniture; (keep in mind termites eat all types of fibrous material not just wood) and therefore you still need termite barriers in addition to treated frames and undertake regular inspections to make sure the barriers remain in tact..

5 I am an expectant mother with two young children and a family dog, what is the most suitable option for me?

The safest option for you, your children and pet dog is by far the physical or hybrid physical barrier. Physical barriers are in permanent once in place and will not need replacing or re application as is required with liquid chemical barriers. Hybrid barriers are physical barriers created by trapping a layer of chemical impregnated fabric between layers of impermeable plastic.

Use of physical barriers are specially relevant to families with pets especially dogs, as dogs like to dig and persistent digging can expose the chemicals and be potentially fatal for the dog and require repair of the barrier.

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How To Keep Termites Outside And Your Money In

In Australia, termites cause more extensive damage than all natural hazards combined, and of course termite damage often isn’tcovered by home insurance, so it is natural to want to make sure your home is protected from termites … but how?  What is the best type? What is also safest for your family?

There are two main types of termite prevention, physical and chemical. No matter how you dress up chemicals designed to control termite populations, their inherent nature is one of harm and there is no way around it. For parents with small children, families with pets, expectant mothers or simply those who desire increased peace of mind, the physical barrier method of keeping termites out is the best choice for you. There are also some chemicals that are designed only to affect termites specifically.

Chemical barriers

A chemical barrier is a termite barrier that involves applying chemicals to mediums surrounding the home (e.g. applied to the building’s perimeter and/or foundations, applied between plastic sheets and laid under or in buildings floors or walls, or simply applied to the soil via sprays or permanent pipework that allows replenishing from time to time).

Advantages

  • Can be used at any stage of the buildings life (although once a concrete floor is laid only permanent piping laid under the slab enables re-application over time)
  • The chemicals can be slow acting allowing affected termites to infect other termites in its colony (depending on chemical used);
  • Specific chemicals can affect insects only and not have any affect on humans or the environment (e.g. Bayer’s ‘Premise’);

Disadvantages

  • Some are potentially harmful for your family and environment particularly birds and creeks;
  • Most approved chemicals today require re-application every 5-10 years and therefore require some means of re-application. Just spaying under a slab and hoping it will last the life of the building is no longer an option (the chemicals that could last that long were also highly toxic to people and the environment and have been banned for many years);
  • Application to existing buildings without permanent pipework in place may require a trench dug all around the building to 500mm deep and access holes drilled every 1 metre or so throughout the whole floor to allow the chemicals to be pumped in underneath concrete slabs etc.
  • Can be disrupted by external activities (e.g. landscaping).

Physical barriers

A physical barrier is made of a solid material that termites cannot penetrate, A layer is placed underneath the floor or within the foundations and walls of the home. Unlike chemical barriers; physical barriers rely on their unique design and composition to physically prevent termites from getting through. Physical barriers are usually composed of metal e.g. stainless steel mesh, or metal/polymer sandwich (e.g. Alcor), crushed rock (e.g. GranitGard) or similar materials that termites cannot chew or move through and they need regular inspections to ensure the termites do not build around them. Physical barriers need to project out beyond the structure, be unbroken and continuous and be visible in the walls and over piers.

Advantages

  • No health or environmental concerns regarding chemicals, this is especially relevant for the vulnerable members of the population e.g. expectant mothers, the elderly, the young and household pets;
  • Properly installed physical barriers are significantly more effective than chemical treatments provided they are inspected regularly;
  • Once implemented, there is no need for re-treating as they are permanent.

Disadvantages

  • Generally only can be installed during the construction of new buildings or on extensions of existing buildings (however some can be retrofitted to existing buildings);
  • Must be continuous and properly installed or will not work (same as any termite barrier really);
  • Do not kill termites;
  • Require regular inspection.

Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems are a subset of physical barriers, where the actual materials of which the barrier is comprised is an insecticide chemical laden textile, sandwiched between 2 layers of polyethylene plastic (e.g. Trithor/Smartfilm and Jinhong Termite Barriers). They have all the features of a physical barrier and the benefits of a chemical barrier, but because the chemical is trapped between layers of plastic, it has fewer of the toxicity concerns for people and the environment.

There are obvious advantages and disadvantages for the various methods of termite management, deciding what is best for you depends entirely on your needs and concerns. For more information, check out http://www.ecospecifier.com.au.

Explore more about the product ranges that have been eco-certified and listed by Ecospecifier, by using the Product Search Engine on Ecospecifier Global: http://www.ecospecifier.com.au

Also, join us in more conversations about green products and sustainability issues on our social media pages:

Follow Ecospecifier on Facebook

Follow Ecospecifier on Twitter

Follow Ecospecifier on LinkedIn

Join our Social Media Honour Roll – support the switch to green products

Like, Comment and Share our blogs and posts on your social media pages … and we will send your name out to more than 15,000 subscribers via our monthly Ecospecifier Global Newsletter.

See which stellar individuals, businesses and networks made the latest Honour Roll on Twitter and Facebook HERE We salute you in helping us educate and help more people #MaketheSwitch to #EcoResponsible products.