A Practical Approach to the Prevention of Decay and Termites in Building Construction. FPRS Panel Discussion

The subterranean termite problems in manufacturing plants and commercial structures can be controlled by the following design features: 1) eliminate continuous hollow masonry walls by termite cut-offs, 2) eliminate wood in contact with or in close proximity to earth, 3) install termite shields over piers in seldom-visited underfloor areas, and 4) use soil poisoning. While in residential construction where wood forms a major portion of the materials of construction, special attention should be paid to these problems: 1) sufficient ventilation, 2) provisions to prevent prolonged dampness in areas under floor, 3) measures to prevent termites from crawling up inside hollow masonry walls, 4) initial ground poisoning, 5) enough room for proper inspection under floor, 6) cleaning up of all scraps of wood under and around building at completion and 7) dampproofing crawl spaces. Regarding the work the pest control industry has been doing to keep wood in building construction, there are several factors to consider to get a true picture of the problem of termite control. These factors are: building construction, incidents of infestation, behavior of chemicals in the soil, economic problems of the customer, and the species of subterranean termites involved. The tendency toward concrete slab construction of residences materially hastened the use of preventive treatment against termites. Soil poisoning has been a recognized means of subterranean termite control for years. Sodium arsenite has been used for a long time as a termite preventive material. In order to control the termite infection successfully, the termite control operators suggested the following be emphasized: 1) general education of the public on termite control, especially architects and construction engineers, 2) National Pest Control Association should cooperate in making people more conscious of the importance of soil poisoning for subterranean termite control, 3) research is justified on methods of protecting slab construction and to determine the residual life of soil poisons, 4) research on methods of termite proofing suitable for areas with emphasis on treatment to prevent infestation in new structures, 5) research justified on the value of permanent control installations and the value of preconstruction controls. To reinforce and make more valuable the pretreatment service of pest control, most firms are offering a 5-year treatment warranty which provides that in the event termites should reoccur, the termite control company will retreat without additional charge.

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