termite prevention?

[Bullwinkle]

I believe "advantage" monitors for termites without toxins .. one swaps out the bait when they are present ... the best defense in the tropics is still ventilation.. and in wooden boats and damp basements - rock salt

see ya

[StillHope]

Yes,I've already decided to try to use Rob's stuff.Hope,my builder can squeeze everything in my budget limit.He is the one who is going to talk to Rob,because my knowledge in construction leaves much to be desired.
BTW,as far as bugs are concerned, post & peer is better?

[Carey]

Stillhope...We rented in Post & pier & bought slab. You will see people adament about each, for us, it was more of what was here at the time....
This slab house was loaded with dead creepy crawlies (including rats & mice), but we added door sweeps, sealed off holes in the walls, caulked & did many things that you gotta do to a house in the northern midwest. In over 2 years, we have had very few bugs (BTW, ANYTHING you bring into the house could have some hitchhikers....esp. roaches... inc. boxed items bought in a store!) Due diligence & a vacuum handle most things....
The itty bitty tiny ants & fruit flies are the things I have noticed. Pet food & fruit on the counters are the main attractants. Our cat bowl now is two bowls, one slightly smaller bowl in a larger bowl with water (the ants can't swim, as far as I can tell...)
We use very little chemicals, Boric Acid at the wall base seems to keep most things at bay, along with ant & roach baits (in little plastic holders...) But the termite damage was done....& I am not sure that we could have kept the ground termites away with our arsenal...
Ground termites attack both slab & post & pier... I think due diligence is needed for each.... The neat thing with slab is IF the Basaltic base keeps out ground termites as the UH studies indicates, then there is a no chemical prevention for new slab construction. No way to add the new base under old slabs

[StillHope]

Thanks,Cary!
Your willingness to help is as big as your knowledge.And you always doing it polite and quiet.
I like the idea of the cat food bowl in the water bowl.Let them drown!
Just reminded me of the old anecdote.

The farmer reports on agricultural meeting:
2 years ago we planted 30 acres of wheat.Long nosed bug had eaten everything.
Last year we planted 40 acres.The long nosed bug has eaten everything.
This year we wil plant 50.Let him choke on it!

[gtill]

Bullwinkle, if rock salt in basements and boats, why not constant application of sewater as you build, out of a hudson pump! Enough build up should have as good effect as borate!

[Carey]

My ??? on seawater applications would be on how well the fasteners handle it (not a problem if you you are pegging everything... probably a big problem for most metal fasteners...)

[Bullwinkle]

most fasteners in saline environments fail due to electrolysis (unlike metals in a electrolytic media) ... one of the first things I look for, during inspections, is fasteners that are mixed ...ie bronze and galvi... the futher apart the metals are on the galvanic scale or chart the faster they will be used up

I have one wooden vessel that has been in service (read annual coast guard inspection) for 50 plus years --- still passes coast guard inspection every year - spruce with galvi fasteners --

has anyone tried "antifouling " paint on exposed timber in termite zones 1 and 2 - grin?
the current stuff has about 50% ( down from 80 or 90 percent in the day) copper by weight - about a 100$ per gallon less in bulk

in closing I still believe ventilation and regular monitoring are your best defense.. I have used co2 to get termites in sensitive locations on boats - just freeze the little buggers ... no toxins required ... first you got to find them... and its best to treat them before they spread

[Bullwinkle]

and while we on topic ... check out "smiths penetrating epoxy" for soft (rot, termite damaged) wood repair... if there is still structure --- its saved me time and time again