# termite and repair plan - please critique!



## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

Sounds like a good low impact plan. Modern day termiticides are in the same toxicity range as the borates that you are using. Specifically Termidor and Dupont’s new product (Altriset, I think?). Carcinogenic properties are null. The borates actually have measurable levels of arsenic, as it occurs naturally in boric acid.

Removing the tunnels won’t stop the termites, but bora-care and tim-bor will. You do want to destroy all visible tunnels, as you can then monitor for new tunnels easier.The borates do act as a repellent as well as a toxicant so stay vigilant. I use tim-bor in wall voids and garage sills of our own house for termite prevention and a mold prevention.

The termite bait is a good idea if they eat it. Make sure that you use enough or it won’t work even if they do eat it. 

The bora-care applications can be further than 1 hour apart if that is more convenient for you, even days apart, fyi. The wood cannot have been painted, stained, oiled, etc previously. 

The sill on top of the block wall is, I assume wood. Spray it well with boracare, as long as it has not been painted, stained, etc previously. Can you drill into the block voids and blow tim-bor in there? That would be an ideal use of tim-bor; will last for years in there. The dryness is also a limiting factor to the termites as well. Spray the sill plate 3 or 4 times, as you don’t have access to the underside or far side of it. 

Keep us posted.


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## MattyH (Sep 1, 2011)

Thanks for the info, PAbugman!




PAbugman said:


> Removing the tunnels won’t stop the termites, but bora-care and tim-bor will.


What about the termites in the wood now - if I've blocked their access back to the ground can they continue to survive in the dry wood? I'm concerned about any I miss with the Bora-care treatment.

When you use Tim-bor is it always in powder form? (I figure for liquid use Bora-care is probably better, though way more expensive.)

How would you suggest blowing Tim-bor into the blocks? Two holes per block (one on each half)? Upper block or lower block? The wall is 4 blocks high with the lower partially buried.

Lastly, should I seal the gap between the slab and the blocks somehow?

Thanks!


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

Termites in the wood now will die from being cut-off. Even though they aren’t cut off per se, as they travel through the toxicant they will die. This is all relying on the fact that the wood is dry. If their is a chronic roof leak, gutters perforated, any chronic water issue, etc. then they will be able to form an above ground nest. This is rare but happens. It sounds like you are on top of the maintenance issue though.

Tim-bor can be mixed with water and often times is. I use it both ways. In stud wall voids, block wall voids, I like the raw powder. When our bathrooms were roughed-in I sprayed tim-bor on all studs and sub-floor as a solution. If you use a water based solution, always stir it in a bucket first, don’t shake it. It goes into solution so much easier when stirred. You can use elec drill with paint stick or by hand. It will be cloudy at first but should soon become clear. If not, keep stirring. Don’t overdose, but follow label for mixing instructions. If you overdose you may not get it into solution. If I remember right I’ve used as much as 1.5 lbs per gallon of water and it worked. Don’t hesitate to spray multiple times. Timbor doesn’t penetrate very deep like boracare does. Again, if wood is painted, stained, sealed then forget it. Timbor will corrode metal applicatiors and metal in general. Clean out with water and dry when done if using metal. 

Typically a block wall has 3 voids and we use various hand dusters sold by our suppliers. A garden store duster should work well-you will want an opening at least 1/4” or more as tim-bor can clog quickly. Drill in the mortar joints. I like to treat close to the soil line, but the middle hole can go up to the top of that course in order to stay in the mortar joint, meaning your drill line will be staggered up and down, not a problem. Some voids won’t take well, so the ones beside them can get more dosage. 

Sealing the slab block gap-I wouldn’t unless you are going to panel the walls somehow. I don’t reccommend covering basement, shed, utility, garage walls as it prohibits inspection/monitoring. If they come up that way, you will see them and can react.

We make wooden monitoring stakes about 8-10 inches long, look like short tomato stakes. Pine wood is conducive to termites. We hammer them into the ground in the perimeter of structure, treated or not, and monitor. Your termite activity is greater than ours, so check at least once a month if not sooner.


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## Andee77 (Sep 6, 2011)

*Carpenter ants*

We have carpenter ants and last couple years, I have noticed increase in visibility of them. Last month, I have mix borax with sweet syrup and put it under their visible route. Didn't see much of change, slight decrease in number of ants.

But 3 days ago, my carpool area had hundreds of dead carpenter ants and some eggs were fall from either deck or some where under deck to ground.
Dead ants fall for 3 days and somewhat stop now.

I am thinking of buying a professional grade pesticide to spray around that area to see if I can kill more.

I have talk to contractor and he wanted to open up the siding to help us get rid of ant nest, but this won't happen until next spring.

Will it be best to make up another bait with borax with sweet syrup and spray around the area or pesticide in professional grade?

This time, I am going to open all inside house electrical outlet and spray them too.

I am open to hear more advises on the matter.


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

We don’t tear open walls or anything for carpenter ants anymore. Learn about Termidor and spray the perimeter, high and low as well as the trunks of mature trees that are close to the house.


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## MattyH (Sep 1, 2011)

Isn't alarmist spam against the rules here?!


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Correct. Thank you MattyH!

Gary


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## Andee77 (Sep 6, 2011)

*Question on using pestcides*



PAbugman said:


> We don’t tear open walls or anything for carpenter ants anymore. Learn about Termidor and spray the perimeter, high and low as well as the trunks of mature trees that are close to the house.


We just entered into official fall weather in Seattle.
I have purchased professional grade pestcide liquide called Cy Kick and sprayed where most of carpenter ant traveled and were found.

Is it okay to spray in this time of the month/season to kill carpenter ants?
I have not seen a lot of them lately but one or two around.
Technician told me if weather gets cold and wet, it won't be working because they will be going into dormant.

I used bait and maybe that worked to kill a lot of ants brecause lots of dead ants and their eggs fell under there nesting area for few days about a week or two ago. I know more is hiding in that area (inside siding of one area of the house). I would like to know, my spraying solution is useless because the time of the season.
Will spray in spring too, but not sure if we do need to open up the siding to get rid of them completely.
I did researched and Cy Kick works like Termidor.


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

I’d definitely treat now as it isn’t cold enough to stop the ants. Anyway, indoors they won’t go dormant as our homes are conditioned for the season. We get calls in January from people who said they thought the ant activity would stop because of winter-it’s not winter inside the wall voids, etc. 

I’m curious-what kind of bait did you use that gave you good results? Carpenter ants don’t always co-operate with baiting programs. 

Rather than open up siding, can you treat the gap, crack, etc where the top of siding meets the soffit? Sometimes the chemical will run down behind the siding; very desirable. Maybe it’s a two story though. Use pin stream in all gaps, cracks and linger on the ones that take the chemical, even if very slowly.


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## Andee77 (Sep 6, 2011)

*My carpenter bait & siding open up*

I used 2 different types of bait and not sure which one was effective.
About 1 1/2 to 2 months ago, there was so much of carpenter activity and didn't know what to do. We were in talk to replacing siding due to bad surface issues from paint problem.

We have Cedar T&G siding and total cost of siding replacement was too much, we had to debate to do it or not. Also, couple of relayable contractor told us, if this is their siding, they won't replace, instead would just hire good painter to salvage the siding.

If we were replacing the siding, I was going to wait to see where their nest is and just spray strong solution. But we are not going to replace the siding, we may need to open up that area see if they are gone.

I am not sure if we need to open up now or wait till spring for this?

I read somewhere, carpenter ants like sweets and borax will kill them. So, I have melted borax powder into warm water and pull in syrups to attract them to take some of bait. Not sure this was cause or I had "Intice Fine Granular Insect Bait" for silver fish last year. I used very little and didn't need them as silver fish was gone.
So, I just pull all my bait around where their main route was.

So, not sure which bait worked to kill them like that, but it sure did work.

But ants activity was still going on and about 2-3 weeks ago, whole lot of dead ants came down to ground from deck area where I think their nest might be. I took one of dead ant and egg to near by DIY professional store for solution and advise. One of technician was there and she told me, it is unsual to hear my type of story. But probably, live ones pushed dead ones out of their nest to clean them out.

During this time, we also saw whole bunch of ants walking around our deck. I regret, missing this chance to spray the solution.

Now, weather is much colder and we have rains on and off, but I did spray around their nest area couple days ago.

So, you think, we should spray around the house and should open up the siding to make sure they area all gone, right?

I hope, we can get rid of them soon and be one less worry to our list.

Thank you so much for your advise and reply.

Have a good day!!!


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

We don’t open up siding and rarely even drill holes especially since we began using Termidor and Phantom. The ants, most of them, will need to leave the nest to forage and will contact the residuals that way. Treat into cracks and crevices on the exterior, focusing especially on the gaps that take the chemical well. Ant baits work slowly; if they worked to quickly, the ants would die before returning the bait to the nest. You may still be getting a kill from your baiting. Keep fresh bait in place, but don’t spray near the bait. Ants continually clean their nests out; we use that as evidence to find their nests. There are usually dead ant bodies in any ant frass. The nest is close by to where you found the frass, bodies, etc. Focus on those areas with the above described spraying.


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## Andee77 (Sep 6, 2011)

PAbugman said:


> We don’t open up siding and rarely even drill holes especially since we began using Termidor and Phantom. The ants, most of them, will need to leave the nest to forage and will contact the residuals that way. Treat into cracks and crevices on the exterior, focusing especially on the gaps that take the chemical well. Ant baits work slowly; if they worked to quickly, the ants would die before returning the bait to the nest. You may still be getting a kill from your baiting. Keep fresh bait in place, but don’t spray near the bait. Ants continually clean their nests out; we use that as evidence to find their nests. There are usually dead ant bodies in any ant frass. The nest is close by to where you found the frass, bodies, etc. Focus on those areas with the above described spraying.


Cy-Kick (solution) I purchased from near by DIY store works like Termidor based on what I read as how they work.

If I open up electric outlet and spray inside, will this help us from ants coming inside the house?

If bait gets wet, that won't work, right? 

Can you spray solution during rainy day?


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