Termite Control System

Termites

• detritivores (detritus feeders)

• capable of tearing pieces of woody
materials
• house foundations, furniture, shelves, and
even books are all possible feeding sites
for termites
TERMITE WARNING SIGNS AND IDENTIFICATION

• •A temporary swarm or winged insects in your

home or from the soil around your home.
• •Any cracked or bubbling paint or frass (termite
droppings).
• •Wood that sounds hollow when tapped.
• •Mud tubes on exterior walls, wooden beams or
in crawl spaces.
• •Discarded wings from swarmers.
 . Termites and the Model Building Code
• For residential construction, the International Residential Code (IRC)ix specifically addresses subterranean
termite controlmethods in Section R318 during new construction, and measures depend upon the building
location on the map in Figure 2.The requirement for preservative-treated or naturally durable termite
resistant wood are also identified as termite control strategies are identified in the International Building
Code (IBC), Section 2304.12 for commercial buildings.
These measures detailed in the IRC Section R318 include:
Borate treatment of select wood members (Figure 6)

• Termiticide application on the surrounding ground areas (Figure 7)

• Termite baiting systems (Figure 8)

• Use of preservative treated wood or termite resistant wood (Figure 9)*

• Physical barriers (sheet metal or wire mesh) between foundation and framing (Figure 10)

• In areas of very heavy termite infestation:

o The use of foam plastic insulation is not permitted on the exterior face of walls, or below footings,

foundations or slabs that are below grade.

o Foam plastic on above grade walls must be 6” above the ground.

 TERMITE AND WOOD DECAY CONTROL TECHNIQUES

Figure 2-8F. Termite Control Techniques for Basements, Footing Detail

Figure 2-8S. Termite Control Techniques for Basements, Sill Detail
Techniques for controlling the entry of termites through residential
foundations are advisable in much of the United States (see Figures 2-
8F and 2-8S). The following recommendations apply where termites
are a potential problem. Consult with local building officials and codes
for further details.
• Minimize soil moisture around the basement by using gutters, downspouts, and
runouts to remove roof water, and by installing a complete subdrainage system
around the foundation.

• Remove all roots, stumps, and scrap wood from the site before, during, and after
construction, including wood stakes and formwork from the foundation area.

• Treat soil with termiticide, or deploy properly-maintained bait stations on all sites
vulnerable to termites.

• Place a bond beam or course of cap blocks on top of all concrete masonry
foundation walls to ensure that no open cores are left exposed. Alternatively, fill all
cores on the top course with mortar, and reinforce the mortar joint beneath the top
course.

• Place the sill plate at least 8 inches above grade; it should be pressure-preservative
treated to resist decay. The sill plate should be visible for inspection from the interior.
Since termite shields are often damaged or not installed carefully enough, they
should not be regarded as sufficient defense by themselves.
• Be sure that exterior wood siding and trim is at least 6 inches above grade.

• Construct porches and exterior slabs so that they slope away from the
foundation wall, and are at least 2 inches below exterior siding. In addition,
porches and exterior slabs should be separated from all wood members by
a 2-inch gap visible for inspection or by a continuous metal flashing soldered
at all seams.

• Fill the joint between the slab floor and foundation wall with urethane caulk
or coal tar pitch to form a termite barrier.

• Use pressure-preservative-treated wood posts on the basement floor slab,

or place posts on flashing or a concrete pedestal raised 1 inch above the
floor.

• Flash hollow steel columns at the top to stop termites. Solid steel bearing
plates can also serve as a termite shield at the top of a wood post or hollow
steel column.