“As part of our Eco-Safe commitment, all of the termite chemical products we use are scientifically tested and designed to have no adverse effects on your health and minimal impact on the natural environment”
The purpose of a Termite chemical barrier is to install a ‘CHEMICALLY TREATED ZONE’ that creates contact with any foraging termites attempting to enter your home as they travel through the subsoil. It is important to understand that soil termite chemical treatments do not give 100% complete protection against termites entering your property, rather they are design to prevent ‘CONCEALED’ termite entry. The chemical in the soil forces the termites to reveal themselves when they build mud tubes over the top of the treated zone, thus becoming visible and more detectable during the course of a termite inspection. Hence the importance of annual termite inspections.
As termites contact the treated soil they pick up the chemical and will either be repelled and terminally effected or, in the case of non-repellent chemicals, continue on their way unaware they have received a lethal dose and then unwittingly pass it on through the entire colony. This treatment method involves digging trenches around the exterior perimeter of the structure, then around the stumps and piers underneath your home (unless it sits on a concrete slab). We then apply a carefully measured quantity of liquid Termiticide into the prepared areas. After all of the trenched areas have been thoroughly treated we then carefully back fill the soil into the trenches and re-treat the soil at finished ground level. Concrete slabs and paths are drilled with holes spaced at designated intervals of around 150 – 200mm through which the Termiticide is injected to treat the ground beneath. Pavers are lifted where possible and the soil underneath is then treated and the pavers are then re-laid.
Having your home treated in this way usually takes less than a day depending on the size of the home, its construction type and the accessibility of the exterior perimeter. We normally follow up with an inspection 4 – 6 weeks after the treatment to monitor activity and ensure that the treatment has gone to plan. We then follow up with a progress report after which time we give you the go-ahead to commence the repairs of any termite damaged timber.
We always recommend a full inspection is carried out every 12 months at a minimum to ensure that the treated zone has not been disturbed or breached in anyway. It is vitally important that the treated zone remains intact! It is vitally important to warn any future tradespeople such as plumbers, electricians or gardeners and landscapers who are unaware of this hidden barrier not to accidentally disturb the treated zone. Tree roots growing up to your foundations, digging pets or the formation of new garden beds against the house can also provide termite access through the treated zone.
It’s important to remember when considering this type of method that the soil under a concrete slab will remain mostly untouched by the Termiticide because the chemical barrier is placed against the building’s exterior perimeter slab unless it is injected internally through the slab itself, (a method rarely suggested or used these days due to advances in termite baiting systems). Similarly, it is impossible to treat the underside of concrete footings as well as concrete and timber stumps. While there are limitations to the performance of chemical treated zones they can provide excellent protection to many buildings.
Australia has one of the most stringent pest control industry regulatory systems in the world. All of the Termiticide chemicals that we propose in our treatments have undergone a rigorous evaluation process and have been officially approval by national and state government authorities. Among the many well-known chemical brands used for the treatment of termites, there are two main categories of chemical groups, Repellent and Non Repellent chemicals. We always propose a range of chemical options for our client’s consideration highlighting the various trade-offs between longevity, toxicity levels and cost effectiveness.
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